You Are Part Of This Team
by Edengwen
Summary: When Sam is placed into Team One things don't go well. He is unwanted by the team but he builds new friendships with the other teams. However when Sam is injured maybe dying; will the team be able to undue the damage that they have caused or will they never get the chance to say sorry?
1. Chapter 1

It had been two week since Sam had been placed in Team One and things weren't going well. The team didn't like the idea of the Top Bass been able to place anyone into their family, worse with no explanation to why him or anything on his past or what this guy had done when he was with JTF 2. But they guessed that most of that was classified way above their clearness. Sam though understood that the team was like a family and with him joining them without their approvable would cause problems however he thought that over time would change things but it hadn't.

He guessed that having Steve come and help out with training may have made things worse, he didn't care anyone what Steve said or what the other's thought. He just wished that the team would treat him as part of their team and not an outsider. At the end of another busy week of hot calls and training things hadn't changed. Sam didn't feel at home here like he thought he would. He thought that the SRU was different to the military. He thought that he had left his past in the desert but it looked like he was wrong.

To him personally the cold shoulder he was getting from most of the team was nothing compared to the treatment that Ed was giving him. Whatever Steve had said to him had caused him to not trust anything Sam did and he always seems to watch everything he did like he was looking for anything to yell at him for. He felt like a flashback to him growing up with the General. His father uses to yell at him if he did anything wrong however at least his father did it to make him a better soldier, because of that he made it into Special Forces quicker and made him into a better sniper. However with Ed, it was anything to make him feel not wanted. The only good thing about the whole time was that the other teams didn't see Sam in the way Team One did. He was always the last one to leave the Barn as he normally got talking to the other teams when the others were changing in the locker room.

He had grown close to one team more than the others. Team Four normally took over from Team One so he started to get to know that team better than the others. Sparring with them when they asked for a sparring partner which normally ended with Troy reminding them that they had a shift to do still because Sam would always win also he also helping with the punch bags. But he had grown very close to Troy; he was the Sergeant of Team Four and was like an older brother in only the short time Sam had been there.

Like normal Sam was still in the gym when Team Four arrived however they all felt the anger rolling off the young man as he punch bag. So they didn't speak to him. Sam was angry, angry at himself and the team. Debriefing hadn't gone well at all, but it never did when Sam did something that they classed as risky or stupid. Which was everything he did.

He had seen his team mates in trouble and couldn't help them from the perch that Ed had told him to use; he had told Ed and then others that the place they had picked was wrong and that there were too many blind spots however they hadn't listened. So against orders he moved and broke his cover allowing the gunman to see him. He paid the price when he had been hit however he had been quicker on the trigger and the gun man fell lifeless to the ground. A bullet in his head. The bullet that hit him, luckily hit the vest and his team was safe however they didn't see it like that. Nearly all of the debriefing had been Ed and Jules tell him again and again that he made a stupid mistake. Wordy, Lou and Spike agreed with them. Greg just sat there looking over the file. At first Sam hoped that would see the same thing he did however nothing. So instead of hitting one of them he took his angry out on the punch bag.

His shoulder had been killing him since he pulled the bullet from his vest; then throughout his time with SIU and as he got back to the Barn. However he was used to dealing with the pain, but with every punch the pain shot though his body. But he didn't stop. He felt his eyes start to water and he knew he couldn't carry this on for long without one of Team Four spotting them but he stopped when he heard someone say his name. "Sam?" Sam stopped and turned seeing Troy stood in his gym kit looking at Sam with a worried look, he then saw that to other members had the same look. Sam signed and let the pain in his shoulder slow. "Hey Troy." He said making his way to the locker room. Not meeting any of their faces, hoping he could leave after he had showered. However he wasn't getting that lucky, as he opened his locker he saw Troy leaning against another locker. "Bad day?" Troy asked trying to read Sam's blank face.

Sam was a soldier and Troy knew that they were the hardest things to read. But Sam was one of the few people that he had met that he could never get a read unless his emotion was too strong. Over than that Sam had a blank face; he had only seen him smile and laugh when he was messing about with the other members of Team Four. Which normal was then they were play fighting which ended with the team trying to pin Sam to the floor and tickling him. But they always lost when they ended on the floor without Sam throwing a punch.

"You can say that." Sam said before heading to the shower, knowing too well that Troy would still be there when he got back. So he took as long as he could. The hot water fell over his sweaty body and over the faint outline of his scars. He looked down at his shoulder and saw a large angry bruise forming all around his shoulder. He couldn't hid that from Troy and he knew he would be pissed that he didn't get it looked at, but he had never been given the chance. He was brought out of that thought when the water had hit his face, he choked and shot off the water. He never let water hit his face not after what had happened to him. He knew that he had been in the shower too long, and he knew that soon Troy would come and look for him; stepping out of the shower he wrapped a towel around his waist, and picking up a smaller one to dry his hair before he went back into the locker room.

As he entered he saw Troy sat on the bench waiting for him. As Troy heard Sam come back into the room he waited till he got to his locker before looking up. The first thing he saw was the angry bruise forming over the young man's shoulder. "What happened to your shoulder?" Worry was nearly screaming from his words and Sam stopped to look back down at the bruise that he knew would cause him problems after the weekend. He sighed knowing he had to tell him or he would call Ed and ask. "Took a round to my vest, I'm fine." He said quickly pulling his t-shirt over it right when Alex walked into the room. Alex opened his locker and took out his bottle of water, smiling at both Sam and Troy before leaving. Sam got dressed more quickly than normal knowing what was coming. "Did you get it checked out by medics at the scene?" Troy asked, not knowing about Sam going to SIU.

Sam sighed and knowing that he couldn't lie to Troy, he shook his head and he knew very well what was coming. He was going to get yelled at and he didn't have to wait long. "WHAT! Sam are you mad? You know that every officer is checked over if injured. What was going through your mind when you walked away from the scene? Didn't Greg or Ed tell you to get checked out or…?" Words seem to fail him. And with that, before he could finish he heard Sam mutter, "Like they care." Before Sam picked up his bag and quickly left, leaving his locker open. Troy turned and shouted after him. "Sam" But he got nothing.

Troy sighed knowing he had made everything worse but the last comment Sam made to him made him think a lot more. He knew that Sam was having trouble fitting in to Team One but he didn't think that it was this bad. Troy rubbed his hands over his face. He had to apologise to him on Monday, and make things right. Standing up and moving towards Sam's locker and saw that the young man had left his wallet, dog tags and SRU ID card. He pulled out his phone and called Sam, but it went straight to voicemail. "Sam, its Troy. Look I'm sorry for yelling. And you have left your wallet, SRU card and your dog tags in your locker. See you later." Troy finished before closing his phone. _'I hope'_ He thought, he was hoping that this didn't make the young man leave. Troy then closed Sam's locker and went back to the gym.

Sam drove half way home when he pulled up to his friend's garage. He needed something on his bike replaced so he could pick it up on Monday night on the way home from work. Quinn asked him if he wanted a lift home as he was shutting up but Sam told him no and Quinn nodded knowing Braddock well and knew when he wanted to be left alone.

As Sam started to walk home he wished that he had stayed and talked things through with Troy as it made him feel better if he had someone to talk too. He had the right mind to ask if he could get placed to Team Four instead of Team One. But he didn't know if that was possible, but he wished he had asked. Or placed on any other team, as he got on well with the others but Team Four he was closer too.

However he was brought out of that frame of mind when he had a feeling, someone was following him and he knew it. He was now on high alert, however before he could turn to see who was following him but he never got a chance. A sharp pain split across his head and he fell into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Two Days Later…

Team One slowly filed into the Barn, Greg was in first as always with Ed close behind him, Ed was talking about the problems he had with Clark. Spike and Lou both turned up together fighting about Saturday's hockey game results and that continued to the locker room. Wordy came in with Jules talking about his girls again, and as it was one of their birthdays soon he was asking Jules about what could he get her.

About an hour later they were all in the gym, working out. No one had seen Sam yet however no one really cared. Minutes after they had entered the locker room, Team Four were called to a shooting so the gym was empty for Team One. Kira sat at her desk, giving any information to Troy and his team. They had been working for half an hour then Wordy stopped his machine and grabbed his bottle of water pouring the cool liquid into his mouth, he looked at his team mates but then noticed the time on the wall. "Hey, has anyone seen Sam?" He asked looking at each of his friends faces.

Everyone shook their heads and continued to their work out however Wordy, Ed and Greg didn't, they just stood there looking at each other. "I will kill him for being late." Ed muttered but loud enough so the other could hear him. Wordy thought to himself that maybe they were being a little hard on the young man. He was a good officer but he thought to himself that maybe he should get to know the young man a little more than just not talking to him much.

"Hey Simon." Wordy called as he saw the tec from Team Four. Simon nodded a smile at him and walked into the gym. "Have you seen Sam?" He asked hoping he had seen him, but Simon shook his head. "He might be at the hospital…." Simon started but was interrupted. "What?" Spike said stopping his machine and stepping off it. Followed by Jules, Lou just stopped and placed the weights down. "The hospital, Troy said that…" Simon started however Troy had walked into the room so he stopped. "Greg, why wasn't Sam's shoulder checked before you guys left the scene?" Troy asked folding his arms across his chest, looking right at Greg. However it was Ed that answered him. "What do you mean?" Standing back up and moving next to Greg. "What I mean is that when I saw Sam on Friday his shoulder was bruising very seriously, he told me that he had been hit in the vest on the call. He said it was fine but I knew it was causing him trouble and he was beating the crap out of the punch bag when I got here and from what my guys said he had been since they did so it wasn't helping his injury." Troy explained and Greg saw the worry on his face.

"Why didn't he say anything to us?" Jules muttered looking at the team. She was now getting worried about Sam. Yes they didn't get on but he was a member of the team. Wasn't he? "Did we give him a chance?" Spike nearly shouted causing everyone to look at him. "Well we didn't. After the call; Ed you yelled at him and then SIU took him and then the debriefing we all yelled at him or told him that what he did was stupid which it was and then we left. We didn't give him a chance to speak." Spike said nearly kicking himself because of it. Wordy guest that they all where personal kicking each other because of what they had said to him.

"So none of you knew that Sam had been hit?" Troy asked looking at Simon. Who looked now even more worried about Sam. Looking at the other team as they shook their heads, Troy shook his head and sighed. He rubbed his face before leaving the room followed by Simon so they could debrief. "Look guys." Greg said turning to the team. "We will need to make this up to him when we see him, Ok. It looks like his shoulder might be causing him problems today so we may see him tomorrow." Ed nodded, but then Kira called them.

"Team One Hot Call Gear Up." The call was very quick, a gang shooting turned hostage situation. This ended in Ed shooting the hostage taker when he had threatened one of the hostages, because of this he had to go with SIU to get interviewed. Greg had stayed behind to speak to the inspectors and had gone to pick Ed back up at the SIU. Everyone else had returned to the Barn.

As they got to Barn they saw Alex from Team Four talking to Kira who was working and listening to him. However behind Alex, Wordy spotted Troy stood near the window in the briefing room, he had his phone in his hand and he seen to be muttering to himself. "Who is he calling?" Wordy asked before Spike made a comment. Alex looked at Wordy and then looked towards his sergeant. "Sam. And has been since you left, Simon has also tried and so has Kira so has most of our team and nothing." Alex said looking at Kira who shook her head.

Wordy's face fell, the worry was now overflowing in him. And he could tell that Spike, Lou and Jules were too. Wordy then moved towards the briefing room, and he caught the call that Troy was making. "Hey Sam, its Troy again mate but call me back when you get this. We are all pretty worried now." To Wordy it sounded that Troy was now very worried about Sam and with the fact that no one could get hold of him. Wordy stood holding onto one of the chairs when Troy turned to look at him. "Where's Greg?" Troy asked Wordy didn't know why Troy would want to talk to Greg but if he was getting worried about Sam, talking to Greg might be the first thing they would do. "Still at the scene and then he is picking up Ed from SIU. Why? Has something happened to Sam?" Wordy asked worry thick in his voice.

Troy placed his phone back into his pocket and raised his eyebrows, like he was questioning him. Spike and Lou had now come into the room and straight away they felt the mood in the air and stopped before they had taken two steps into the room. "What?" Wordy asked. Not getting what Troy was asking. Wordy could hear Ed's voice moving closer so that he guessed that Greg was also with him. "Why are you acting like you care about him when he is missing but when he is here he you guys act like he doesn't matter?" Troy asked feeling the anger inside of him. But with this comment it was like a burning flame in him, it was the last thing Sam had said to him that caused him to act in this way. Sam thought that he didn't matter. Wordy was stunned with this comment and so was Spike and Lou however before any of them could speak Ed marched into the room. Anger dripping off him, followed by Jules, Greg and Alex, but Alex quickly moved towards his sergeant.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ed yelled at Troy, and with that the few members of Team Four who hadn't left came running into the room behind Troy. "The fact that none of you act like he matters." Troy yelled back. Troy picked up a folder from the table his side of the table and slammed it down with some force; a few of the pages came out. "I read the report on the last call." Troy started pointing at the folder that Greg had now opened. "Sam moved to save Spikes and Lou's life. That guy had both of them dead sure in hell and he saw that. But did you stop and see that? Did you even ask him why he moved? Or where you so busy blaming him from been put in your team without your say so?" Troy exploded on them. Greg looked at the map that they had drawn out after everything and he saw what Troy was talking about. He turned pale. Both Spike and Lou would have been shot and no one could have helped them, and they hadn't seen it so they had blamed Sam for leaving this position but all he had been trying to do was save his team mates. And with that Troy left the room followed by his team. They were all annoyed with how team one had treated Sam as they all knew him better.

Team One stood in silence, Greg still looking at the file. "Boss is that true?" Lou asked quietly moving towards the file. But he still couldn't see it. Lou looked to Spike who had the same surprised and worried look to him. Hearing that when they were yelling at him for moving and risking his life; the real reason for him moving was to save their lives as a shock to their system and made them feel horrible. Greg couldn't speak but he held an image to Ed and nodded. Ed held the image and the shock hit him hard. "Boss we need to…" Ed started but Greg shock his head. "We will wait till he comes in tomorrow and then we will talk. Going to him now may make everything worse. By the sound of things, he wants to be alone so we wouldn't force him in dealing with things now." Greg finished, they all nodded however each of them knew that they needed to make things right.

Wordy knew that Sam might want to be alone however he wanted to make sure that Sam wasn't going to leave them. So he said to himself that he was going to Sam's place after shift and talk to him, even if it had to be to the door. He guessed that it would be the second one but he deserved it. They all did. Sam was a member of their team and he wanted to tell him that. He needed to hear it today.


	3. Chapter 3

Wordy was worried; they hadn't heard anything from Sam all day. But what Greg had said to the team had calmed him a little however he still had the gut feeling that something was wrong. At the end of shift Wordy hadn't showered but grabbed his bag and left quickly. As he got to his car he saw a man walk up to the front door.

"Can I help you mate?" Wordy asked starting to move towards the man. At first sight Wordy guessed he was military, it was the way that he walked. It was similar to the way Sam walked. He couldn't see the man fully because of the cars however as the man moved towards him he saw that the man had a prosthetic leg. "Yer, is Sam Braddock here?" The man asked. Wordy shook his head, "he didn't show up today and we haven't heard from him." Wordy said trying to read the man's face but the man been military he couldn't. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name." Wordy said hoping to find out how the man knew Sam. "Sorry, names Quinn I served with Sam." Quinn said shaking Wordy's hand. "Why you looking for Sam?" Wordy asked crossing his arms. Quinn's face hadn't changed but he understood the question.

"Sam dropped off his bike at my garage for some work and he was meant to come and pick it up today but I have heard nothing from him. And Sam isn't like that; I don't think he has ever been late without a hell of a good reason in his life." Wordy looked shocked at this, he guessed that Quinn knew Sam much better and for him not to connected them how was worrying him even more. "If he comes in, can you tell him to come and pick it up? I will keep it till then." Quinn nodding to Wordy and was about to turn when Wordy stopped him. "You sure?" Wordy asked, Quinn turned and smiled at him. "Braddock saved my life out in the sand and well…" he pointed at his leg. "I only lost one limb because of him. I would have been worse off if it hadn't been for Braddock so holding on to his bike till he's ready is nothing." Quinn said and then walked away.

He was now more impressed by the young man, and even guiltier. So he knew what he needed to do. As he placed his bag in the car and climbed in, he knew that Greg had told them to leave him to calm down a little but he needed to apologies to him and try to start the whole two weeks again. He picked up his phone and called his wife Shelley. He told her that he needed to do something and he would be in a late home. She understood and didn't question it; he then quickly drove to Sam's apartment.

The young man had only moved in a couple of days ago and the apartment block was full of veterans and servicemen. He never understood why. As pulled up to the apartment block he saw Troy speaking to someone, he got out of his car and moved towards the two men. As Wordy got close he saw Troy shake the man's hand and then the man went back inside the apartment block.

That is when Troy turned and he saw Wordy. He quickly walked towards him. Wordy thought that Troy might want to finish the argument that he started at the Barn however Wordy saw only fear and worry in the man. "Have you heard anything from him?" Troy asked him, which caused Wordy to stop himself in his tracks. Worry now ran right through his system. "He not here?" Wordy spluttered out, looking at Troy. Hoping the man was making a joke but he knew from that moment that he wasn't. Troy shook his head. "His neighbour said he hadn't seen him since Friday morning." Troy said but then continued with. "So I am the last one to see him before he…." Troy couldn't finish the sentence however Wordy knew that he had to tell him. It was one way of making it up to him for that morning's argument.

"Troy, you weren't. Sam dropped his bike off at a friend's garage. I've spoken to him when he came to the barn looking for Sam and he told me that Sam doesn't go off like this without a hell of a reason so this isn't your fault." Knowing full well that Troy was kicking himself thinking that he was the last person to see Sam however he knew that this wouldn't help them find him. Troy nodded and signed. "I know it's not my fault that no one can find him, but I'm worried. I have called his sister, some of his mates that are still in the military that I've met briefly. I've called his mother, hell I have even spoken to the General but nothing. No one has seen or heard from him in the last four days." Troy said flinging his arms around in the air trying to calm himself down but it wasn't working.

Wordy understood nearly all of it until Troy mentioned a General, why Troy would call a General so he asked Troy when he had finished. "The General?" Wordy's face must have told Troy why he was so confused. Troy stopped and looked straight to Wordy and saw the question. "Yer, his father." Troy stopped and saw the shock on Wordy's face. "You didn't know that his father is a General in the Army?" Wordy shook his head; to be honest he didn't know very much about Sam as he never gave the young man a chance. But he wanted to change that, and make it right. Wordy signed, "Have you checked the hospital?" Wordy asked, the idea coming quickly in his mind. If something had happened to Sam, he could have already been in hospital. Troy shook his head understanding Wordy's idea.

"Let's go." Wordy said unlocking his car and Troy quickly climbed into the passenger seat. And very quickly Wordy pulled away onto the road, he tried to get the horrible ideas that clouded his mind, like the idea of Sam being dead. The drive was too quiet, Wordy turned to see Troy looking out of his window. "How do you know so much about Sam?" Wordy asked, not understanding how he could know so much about a member of his team when he knew hardly anything. Troy looked at him and answered, "He is always in the gym when we get there, so we talked. Well the whole team did. He'd spar with us sometimes and he would mention stuff so we listened." Then Troy turned and muttered something however Wordy heard every word of it. "He said that he didn't feel like part of your team." He was shocked that Sam would feel that he didn't belong, but then he thought back to how himself and the others had been acting towards him and it made him feel even guiltier. "We want to correct that." Wordy said out loud. But in his head he though _'if we get a chance.'_ "Guess we didn't like the idea of someone been dropped into our team when we didn't know a lot about them. We were worried that it might cause problems, we're a family." Wordy said trying to explain the feeling he had when he heard Sam was been placed into the team.

Troy looked almost shocked at this, "And you thought Sam would do that?" Wordy slowly nodded. Troy signed, trying not to lose his temper. "Sam is ex-military, yes. He knows that a team like your family and all he wanted to do it fit in. But all you guys have done is push him away. The reason I think Sam moved on that last call was because he saw two of his team mates in trouble, in the military he lost a lot of good friends in the field and I guess he didn't want to lose any here. He cares about you guys even if you don't about him." Troy explained calmly but Wordy could tell that he was losing some times. "We do care about him. And we will find him." Wordy said forceful. But inside he felt rotten, Sam had been shot saving Spike and Lou's lives because he knew what it felt like to lose him friends. The only people who seemed to have been nice to Sam was the other teams and it had made Sam feel like Team One didn't care about him. But as soon as this was over that would change. It had too.


	4. Chapter 4

As Wordy and Troy got to the hospital, they parked without speaking to each other. They hadn't since Troy had told him that Sam didn't feel like he was part of the team. As they entered they saw that the hospital was very busy, they had heard it on the radio that there had been a big car crash and eight people had been brought to hospital with serious injuries but they still hoped that Sam wasn't here and he had just gone to be on his own for a few days but Wordy hoped that Sam hadn't been in a car accident.

As they moved to the reception desk Troy asked the young woman behind it if Sam had been brought in and he described the young man just in case. She was a young girl and with that she nodded and said that she would check the system. Three minutes later, the young girl sadly replied no, with a sorry closely following. Wordy and Troy thanked the young woman and were talking about where else to look. When Troy spotted someone he knew. "Andy." He called and moved towards the uniform officer who had been waiting outside the doors to the ICU.

The look on the officer's face, Wordy guessed that he knew Troy well. "Andy, what are you doing here?" Troy asked shaking the other man's hand. By the look of the man close up Wordy guessed that he was the same age as Troy or a little older. "Hi to you too Troy." Andy said smiling. "Andy this is Wordy from SRU, Wordy this Andy one of my old beat partners." Troy explained Wordy shook Andy's hand and nodded understanding now how the two of them knew each other. Andy was shorter than Troy but built the same. As the moved to let a doctor and nurse past them Troy repeated his question. "So what are you doing here?" Andy smiled at his old friend but then his smile faded.

He let out a long sigh and looked back through the ICU doors. A nurse had come out holding a rack of blood tubes, and then he turned back to them. "A young man got attacked on Friday, I was hoping that his condition would improve over the weekend but I talked to the doctor this afternoon and there hasn't been any change. Poor kid." He muttered the last bit. Troy sighed too, knowing that wasn't a good thing. "Worse part is that I have nothing to work with. Found his bag and everything. Only things in that were gym clothes. No ID or anything to give me his name." Andy rubbed his face. "The attacker, we still haven't found, I'm guessing it was a drug addict who thought he could rob him but well… he isn't what you call small so the guy must have used something; a pipe or piece of wood to hit him in the head." Andy then looked at Troy. "Bastard hit the kid more than four times. Now he has possible brain damage." Troy sighed.

Then he turned to Wordy who saw the pain in his friend's face. "A friend of our got attack on patrol, he was good cop. Had been on the force for around eight years and all of them in uniform, he loved being with the public and he got on well with them but when one stepped out of line. God you knew about it. Well one day he was on patrol and his partner got a call of an assault. His partner stayed with the victim and he went after the attacker. He cornered the guy and then… the guy picked up a metal pipe and the guy hit him around three times… He died of brain damage a week later." Wordy looked shocked at this, he didn't know much about Troy but this story was painful for him. "I'm sorry." Wordy said and both of them nodded. "He left a wife and two daughters behind. So these cases are hard for us to deal with." Andy added. "Susan comes to see me very so often with the girls but I miss him." He then added. "I don't want to have to tell this young man's family the same I had to tell Susan. That is if we ever identify him." Andy said.

He sighed once more before think of an idea that was drilling at him. "We might as well try the military database. I have a feeling that he will be in that, we are running his prints but we haven't gotten anything yet so…." However Andy speech was broken off by Wordy. "Wait, you said military?" Wordy was now breathing hard. When Andy nodded, Wordy quickly made his way into ICU. "Hey wait. Wordy?" Troy said following, not understanding what Wordy was thinking.

Wordy was not listening to Troy but when he saw a room that had John Doe written on the whiteboard on the door he looked into the window. His heart stopped. He couldn't breathe; he couldn't draw the air into his lungs like they had stopped working. He guessed he went white, by the way Troy came up to him. "Wordy, you alright mate?" Troy asked not looking into the room, worried about his friend, but Wordy couldn't speak. He just touched the glass of the room's window and Troy turned. Troy felt the same as Wordy as they saw who was lying pale in the bed. Attached to over a dozen machines, "oh my god." Troy muttered. "Sam." Wordy muttered quietly.


	5. Chapter 5

Wordy quickly moved into the room, which now was empty, well all but Sam. His friend lay in the hospital bed, with a tube running down his throat. He couldn't say anything, he wanted to be wrong. That this wasn't Sam, it wasn't the young and cocky ex-military guy that was on his team. But he knew that he was wrong. This was Sam. Troy just stood behind Wordy unable to say anything, he just looked at the young man that he had yelled at the last time they had spoken and now he lay pale as a ghost. He knew he couldn't have stopped this but that didn't mean he didn't blame himself for it.

Wordy was so focused on Sam that he didn't even hear Andy enter the room. Andy had slowly followed the two officers into the room; it was their faces that made him believe that they knew this young man. He felt horrible that he couldn't give them anything about who had done this or why it had happened at all. He knew that Troy had been hit hard by their friend's death but now he had to relive it again but for a man too young to die. God, to Andy, the kid had not been older than twenty-five. He was just a kid to them and hadn't really lived his life at all.

Andy then cleared his throat, both Wordy and Troy snapped back into the room, Wordy looked around the room and saw that he had been stood right next to Sam's bed with Troy at the foot of it. He hadn't even remembered walking around the bed; he guessed that as he was fixed on Sam he hadn't noticed his body moving. "You guys know this guy?" Andy asked already knowing the answer. Troy slowly nodded but it was Wordy who answered him. "His name is Sam Braddock, and he's on Team One of the SRU." Wordy looked at Andy and then back at Sam, hoping that saying his name would have woke the young man up but he looked the same as before and still as pale as before. As Andy heard the young man's name he gasped, this man who had suffered this horrible attack was a cop. He didn't look old enough in some way. "He…he is a cop?" Andy was able to sputter out of his mouth which was now dry, it had happened again. Was he going to watch another cop die in this way?

He knew what the doctor's had told him before so he just hoped that the young constable could pull through this. Troy nodded at his friend's comment and then turned to him. "Do you have any leads on who did this?" Troy asked Andy could see the pleading look in his friend's eyes and only wished that he could turn to his friend and tell him that they knew why this happened and that they had got the guy with all the evidence that was needed to put the guy behind bars helped with a full confession. But he couldn't. He wished that he could but he had to turn to his long-time friend and shake his head. "We think it was a robbery as we didn't find his wallet or well his police ID…" Andy started adding in now the information of who the young man was.

However before he could finish, "Their in his locker;" Troy cut across his friend. "He forgot them on Friday; I thought he would have come back if he needed them." Troy said the last bit more to himself. Andy nodded to his friends words, but then he heard his radio beep. He was needed at the station, "I will call you when I know anything else or if something comes up." Andy said shaking Troy's hand. "Thanks mate." Troy said shaking his friend's hand before he left the room. They just stood there for a minute, in complete silence. Both of them tried to say something to each other, say anything that would break the long silence that filled the room. However then something came to Troy. Sam's family knew nothing about the two day fight to stay alive; they didn't know that Sam had been missing till he had called asking if they had heard from him. So Troy placed his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone, he didn't want to make this call but he had too. It wasn't going to be easy but he was the one that called them asking about Sam so he knew that he had to tell them. Clearing his now dry throat he turned to Wordy, "I'm going to call his family. They should be here." He said and then as Wordy nodded; he left the room.

Now Wordy was alone with Sam, he hated himself so much at this moment. How did he let his own feeling about how Sam had been placed on the team and judge him for that and not the person he was. The other teams got on well with Sam, they were mates but what had he been to Sam? Not a friend, not anything but someone who didn't listen to him and pushed him down all the time. It wasn't right and he knew it.

For some reason Sam had left the Army to join the police and whatever reason that had been Wordy could only guess. But as Wordy could see on his friend's chest, it hadn't been a good time. Thin and faded scars lay across his chest and abdomen. He could only see them because of the little light that was coming from the window. Wordy knew that he had to call the team and soon. He guessed that Ed and Greg would still be at the Barn as they were always the last to leave. Like Troy he cleared his throat and pulled out his phone, he knew whose number to call. He knew that he wouldn't be able to say much but he needed to get the team here. They needed to be here to help Sam. To make it up to him.

As he dialled the number he waited still looking at Sam's pale face. "Hey Wordy, everything ok?" He heard his boss say, he could also guess Ed had a confused look on his face too. "Boss, you and Ed need to get to the hospital now." Wordy said, his voice sharper than he wanted but his throat was so dry. "Wordy what's going on? Are you ok?" Worry was right through Greg's voice and he could hear the sounds of chairs and then opening and closing of doors. He guessed they were making their way to their cars. "No, I am fine but I know why Sam didn't come in." Wordy said sadly looking at the young man. "What do you mean Wordy?" Greg demanded. Wordy could hear the sound of Ed's car being pulled to life so quickly that it made the hell of a sound. "Just get here." Wordy said before ending the call. He couldn't tell them on the phone, they had to see him. Just in case…


	6. Chapter 6

Wordy knew that this would affect the team as they all already felt guilt in how they had treated Sam for the last few weeks. And well, seeing Sam as he was, was in itself punishment for them not giving him a chance to fit in with the team but the worse thing is not trusting him. Wordy then pulled one of the chairs over next to Sam's bed and sat down rubbing his hands over his face. Then he heard someone outside Sam's door and saw a doctor rubbing something off the white board on Sam's door. Then write something else on it.

However as he stopped he opened the door to Sam's room looking at the clip board in his hand. "Hello, are you a relation to Mr. Braddock?" The doctor asked looking at the board, and then at the machines around Sam. Wordy then saw the white board on the door and saw that Sam's name had been written on the door. "No, I work with him. One of our sergeants is calling his family but they live on base so…" Wordy started however was cut off by the doctor as he looked up. "So Mr Braddock is from a military family? So is he any relation to General William Braddock?" The doctor asked. Wordy looked a bit shocked. How did the doctor know who his father was? The look on his face must have explained his thoughts as the doctor then explained. "I served with General Braddock before retiring to work full time as a doctor. I heard that his son had left the army but didn't know it was for the police."

The doctor continued to check Sam's monitors and then turned back to Wordy. "I'm Doctor Redcliff; I was the one that operated on Mr. Braddock." The doctor started handing a clip board from the end of the bed and handed it to Wordy. "If you can fill in the details that you know about him, it will help." Wordy nodded and took the board. "How bad is he?" Wordy asked looking at the clip board and seeing the little information that had been written on it. Only his blood type had been written on it, as he picked up the pen to write Sam's name on it when he heard the doctor sign. He looked up to see a little bit of pain in his face.

"Well to be truthful, I didn't think he would was going to make it through the first night." He then rubbed his hand over his face. And then continued, "He has a broken femur in his left leg and luckily the break hadn't caused any bleeding which is a miracle in itself because of the type of break. However I wish that was it. He also has a broken shoulder and a cracked collar bone however the collarbone injury was before this. The bruising was made a few hours before, do you have any idea how it happened?" As the doctor looked up at Wordy he saw him nod. "He was hit in the vest by a bullet on a call, he didn't tell us so we didn't know." The doctor nodded and then smiled. "Just like his father." The doctor muttered. Wordy wanted to ask what he meant but then the doctor continued with how Sam was. "The more serious injuries that he has is the internal bleeding that was been caused by his stomach and his liver. But the bled I was able to stop during the operation but it has caused him to lose a lot of blood. Also the attack has left all of his ribs on his left side crushed; this has caused two of them to puncher into his lung. That is one of the reasons that he has been put in a coma. We can't allow him to try to breath on his own because of the damage to his lung." Then the doctor did something that Wordy had never seen before by a doctor. He sat down in the chair on the other side of the room and combed his fingers through his hair. "It is the head injury that has me worried." Wordy saw only pain and worry in the old man's eyes. "His skull had been in other words smashed by the object that had been used. That had caused a serious bled in his brain however we were able to stop it bleeding and we were able to mend his skull every well but we found that his skull was harder than we thought and the fragment had begun to heal already. I guess that due to his age but he may still have brain damage so we will have to wait still he is more stable before we even try to wake him up." Then the doctor got up and looked again at Sam and then looked back a Wordy.

"I have seen many young men not survive the night with these injuries and I can tell you something. I don't think he is going anywhere." And Wordy saw a small smile and then the doctor explained what he meant by his comment. "Braddocks' are hard men to kill." And the doctor smiled back at Sam. "I have seen his father survive worse injuries in my time working with him and I have heard stories of his son getting in even worse incidents with worse injuries and well his x-rays showed them. So I think in a few weeks he will be up and demanding to leave here without any pain killers like his father." And after that Wordy looked at Sam, the doctor had said Sam had been injured before but worse than now. What could have happened to him to cause injuries like this? Then Wordy stopped. Did the doctor mean…? He couldn't think it, he couldn't. But had Sam, the young man that was lying in front of him suffer being tortured in his time in the military?

Then the doctor nodded and said that he would be back in a few minutes and then left the room without another word. Wordy didn't want to turn away from Sam as he saw a young man that was only just holding on, just holding on to life. But he knew that he needed to fill in as much information as he could, he started writing Sam's name on the form but as he moved the pen to the box for the DOB he stopped. He didn't know it. God, they had been team mates for a few weeks and it normal only took them a few days to find a lot about their new team mates but with Sam they hadn't. They hadn't treated him like a team mate but an outsider.

Then he heard the door open again, so he looked up and saw Troy walk in, he held himself like he was trying to keep the tears back however his face was red, and his eyes were shot. He pocketed his phone in his jeans and moved to the seat the doctor had been sitting in only a few minutes before. "Did…?" Wordy started, he didn't know if he could repeat Sam's long list of injuries to his friend but Troy nodded. "Yer the nurse told me so I could tell his family. His sister and mom are coming down but his dad is in England at a meeting but he is ordering a flight back as soon as he can." Troy said rubbing his hand through his hair. "When are Ed and Greg getting here?" Troy asked looking at Sam, not even looking at Wordy. In his mind he had a lot more to say to Team One about how they had treated the young man who just wanted to fit in.

They sat in silence for a few minutes till Wordy remembered the form in front of him. "Do you know Sam's date of birth?" Wordy asked knowing that Troy plus the other members of his team knew Sam better than they did. This was still hard to stomach that another team that only met up with Sam for a couple of hours after shift in the gym and that they knew more about Sam then the team did even with them working with him all the time. However Tory looked up confused, "He never talked about his personal life, I only knew he had a sister when she called him asking him for something and I knew his dad was military when his phone light up and the General was written on it. Then he told us that it was his dad." As Troy explained he saw a glint of anger however he knew that Wordy wasn't mad at him or Sam. He was more anger at himself and the Team for letting things get this bad. "Maybe Greg will know, he has seen his file." Troy said knowing that all sergeants have access to their men's files even if half of it was classified, which he guessed Sam's was been ex-special forces.

Wordy nodded knowing that he was right, but it didn't mean he felt any better. It felt like he had let the young man down by not getting to know him but instead he had given him a cold shoulder. Then he heard his phone start to ring in his pocket, Wordy first thought it could be Shelley calling him to see when he would be home however he quickly knew it wasn't. Ed's name was flashing on the screen; he guessed they were here so he opened the phone. "Hey Ed..." Wordy started however Ed quickly cut him off. "Where are you?" Ed growled but Wordy knew his friend too well and for too long, through his harsh words he was worried. And well he knew they all had something to worry about. They all did.


	7. Chapter 7

Wordy looked at Troy who was still waiting Sam. "Go, I'm staying." Troy muttered and Wordy nodded leaving the partly filled in form on the table at the end of the young man's desk and silently but took a last look at Sam before opening the door and leaving the room. Wordy felt like he was lost in the hospital hall way, everything was so loud compared to the quietness in Sam's room, but he made his way back into the bust side of the hospital because he had told them to wait there so he could get away from the scene that was set before him. He blamed himself and he knew that he was to blame.

Wordy looked up and saw Greg and Ed both stood near the nurse's desk in the emergency room, he didn't want them to notice him at first because all he wanted was to walk straight away from this place and forget everything the doctor had said and he had seen. But he couldn't, he wouldn't let him walk away from Sam again. Not this time. It was Ed who stopped him first and quickly moved closer to his friend. "What happened?" He asked trying not to give Wordy his order voice which he could tell had slipped into those two words. By Wordy understood, he hadn't given them much on the phone. Wordy signed and rubbed his hands over his eyes, they were dry as they burned when he closed them, but then he looked at them. "We don't know, all that the officer could tell me was that they think it was a robbery gone bad but…" Wordy started however then he thought back to the doctor's long list of Sam's injuries.

"What is it Wordy?" Greg asked looking at his friend, Wordy signed. "The doctor told me his injuries and it sounds more like an assault more than a robbery, well… I just don't know. He has more injuries for someone trying to steal his wallet or phone." Ed and Greg looked at each other with worried eyes and then they turned back to their friend, Greg looked down at the ground and rubbed his eyes with his left hand.

"How bad is he?" Ed asked with a quieter voice. Wordy sighed, he moved to the seats in the private waiting room which was empty, and both Greg and Ed followed him looking at each other. Wordy had sat down before they had even entered the room. Greg could see the tears forming in his eyes. Wordy didn't lose control of his emotions very often and when he did, there must have been a very good reason. "His doctor is called Dr. Redcliff. And well… he told me how bad he is…" Wordy then let his head fall into his hands. Greg moved and sat next to him, Ed remained standing. "Wordy, how bad?" Greg asked softly. "He has a broken leg but that's the good part." Wordy said shaking his head, trying not to think that the young man may not recover. "He has a broken shoulder and that bullet that hit him on Friday has cracked his collar bone. God we didn't even check him out after the call, and hell he was punching the crap out of the punch bag after." Wordy with that stood up and moved away from them rubbing his hands over his short hair. "Have we made this worse?" He asked turning to them. "Wordy, he never told us but…" Greg started however Ed quickly cut him off. "But we shouldn't have yelled at him in the way we did. But we need to change and we will. What else?" Ed asked looking from Greg and then back to Wordy, who nodded.

"He has crushed most of his ribs on one side with two of them punching into his lung. But it's the internal bleeding and the head injury that has them worried. The internal bleeding was from his stomach and liver but they repaired the damage. But it's the head injury that has the doctor worried the most, whatever was used to hit him smashed his skull causing a brain bled." Wordy crossed his arms over his chest and covered his hands to hide the fact that he was shaking. Greg held his head down and rubbed his hand over his face. Ed looked pissed; they all were that someone had done this to a member of the SRU but also to a member of their team. Even if they never made him feel that way, then Wordy looked back at his two oldest friends.

"Did you call the others?" He asked hoping that they were on their way but also he wished that this had never happened. Ed then final moved to sit down across from Greg, he looked like he was going to say something but he couldn't, Ed's emotions were running high and all he wanted to do it scream and shout. It was Greg who answered Wordy's question. "I called Jules, who should be picking up Lou and Spike as we speak and they should be here in around twenty minutes. Who's with him?" Greg then asked. Wordy looked up and remembered that Spike and Lou where going to see a game tonight. "Troy's with him. He called his parents too…" But before he could finish he saw Troy at the door way. Something was wrong. Greg then looked up and stood up from his seat. Ed just looked up, hoping that they wouldn't get into another shouting match. However something was wrong and all three men could feel it. "They took him back to the operating room, something about some presser on his brain. According to the doc it has built up again over night. They will come and get us when he is out." Troy said moving into the room and sat in the chair near the door.

"You called his parents?" Greg asked, he knew that he had but didn't know why? He was Sam's sergeant so normally it was his job but he wasn't angry at him. He hated making someone else break that news and he would always ask if they wanted him to do it when it happened to the other teams. But it was the sergeant's job. Troy nodded, but then he explained. "I promised his mother that if anything happened to him I would tell them. His mother and sister are coming from base up north in a military convoy but his father wouldn't be here till tomorrow night at the earliest." Then he rubbed his face with his hand again.

"Where is his father?" Ed asked, finally speaking for once. "Always at a military meeting with the British, he said that he was in England and he would make his way back as soon as he could. But he said that he would make sure that Sam's mother and sister get here so he made the convoy happen. Guess there will be a few security officers with them." Troy then added. Wordy saw the Greg look confused at that statement, and as he went to say that Troy meant Ed stopped him. "His father is a General." At this statement, both Wordy and Troy looked at him confused. "I have heard of General Braddock before Sam came to us. But he is more commonly names General 'Badass' Braddock, for a number of reasons." Ed added. Greg nodded, knowing Sam came from a military family and that something had happened between his father and Commander Holleran to get Sam into the SRU but he didn't know what. Then all four of them sat quietly waiting for any news on their friend. Good news.


	8. Chapter 8

They all had been waiting for any updates on Sam for over two hours since Troy had come and told them the horrible news that Sam needed another surgery. One of the nurses, that Troy explained after that it was her who told him Sam's injuries to tell his family, came and told them ten minutes in that the best doctors were working on their friend and if he had any chance of surviving he was in the best hands. After the young nurse left the room it was another ten minutes later Jules turned up with Spike and Lou close behind. All three of them demanded to know what had happened. Greg told them to take a seat but none of them did. Greg signed and told them everything he knew about Sam's condition and then explained that he had been took back to surgery. Jules was close to tears when she sat down next to Ed without a word. Spike looked like he was blaming himself like all of them were; he dropped into the seat next to where Greg was sat in a few minutes later. Lou followed suit and sat next to his friend and closed his eyes. Throughout the whole time Wordy kept quiet, the same as Troy. Wordy did not like their chances to say sorry to Sam about the way they had been acting towards the young man.

They then sat there for another half an hour until Ed's phone started ringing. He looked at his phone and then answered the call. "Hey Sophie, yer I'm fine but something happened and I wouldn't be in for dinner. I will see you when I do." Ed explained and then he signed. "Soph I will tell you when I get in." Ed then rubbed his hand over his head and signed again. "Love you." And then he placed his phone back in pocket. "Ed…" Greg said, looking at his friend. "I'm staying Greg." Ed growled looking at Greg. Greg signed and rubbed his hands over his face. "Wordy…" He looked at him and saw him shake his head. "Shelley knows that I wouldn't be home for a bit. We are needed here." Wordy said speaking for the first time.

Two hours after Sam had been taken to surgery, Dr. Redcliff walked in. "I am guessing you are all here for Sam Braddock?" They nodded and then the doctor saw Wordy and nodded to him. "Well we were able to let the pressure that had been building to escape and stop any bleeding that it had caused. But he is still in critical condition; I must make that very clear. And I will tell his family that when they get here. However I have heard that he has a hard skull." And with that the doctor smiled. "What do you mean?" Wordy asked, knowing that it might have something to do with Sam's father. Everyone else looked confused. "I call the base hospital and spoke to a Dr. Walker to get some more details on Sam's medical history and by the look of it Sam has had more head injuries than most people. Luckily this isn't the worst head injury he had suffered and he survived that." The team all looked at each other, "What do you mean before?" Ed asked standing up.

"He revealed a head injury in the military that shattered his skull; along with that his heart stopped which caused his brain to go with oxygen for ten minutes. They thought that he might be brain dead because of that however three months later he was up and wanting to go back in the field." The team grasped at this story, even Troy that knew more about Sam than the team was shocked at this story. Thinking that Sam was given not long to live or possibily brain dead but survived and wanted to go right back into action. "Just like his father." The doctor then muttered. Greg raised his eyebrows not wanting an answer but the doctor saw this. "His father, however badly injured he was wanted to go back out there and fight with his friends." Ed nodded, having heard stories about General Badass Braddock, he might be a hard man with a horrible temper however he was always there for his men if they needed him. He now looked back on how Sam had wanted to help and give the opinions that were safe but all he had done was turn him down and treat him like he never belonged. And all because Steve had told him to watch his team's back when Sam was around. Now he wanted to go back and just ask Sam what Steve had meant by this comment. Or had made Steve explain his comment about Sam to him and not just take Steve's word that Sam was trouble and see how the young man handled himself.

For god's sake he had risked his life for his team mates that even if they hadn't treated him like a member of their team. And all they had done is give him even more pain by yelling at him for it. "When can we see him?" Greg asked which snapped Ed back to the room. "Well he is now back in ICU however we will be monitoring him more closely because of this build in pressure. But he has been in the ICU now ten minutes and had already started to improve." The doctor smiled again. "I have already called his father, and explained everything. But he wouldn't land until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest because of the weather in England." Then the doctor smiled. "He hasn't changed much." Then he left the room but turned in the door way. "I will come and get you when you can visit him." Then he left the room. They all sat back down and all signed; at least Sam was out of surgery. "I better get going." Troy said standing up. "Troy…" Greg started but Troy shut him off short. "Save it Greg. You need to say sorry to the man in there that is fighting for his life. Not me." Troy was still angry with them and he left without another word.


	9. Chapter 9

Not long after Troy had left Dr. Redcliff came back in, he looked at the room and Greg stood up and asked "Can we see him?" Dr. Redcliff nodded, "Yes but only one at a time, I would say family only for the time being but I don't want to leave him on his own for too long. So talk to him, I am sure that he can hear you so talking to him might help him to heal." Then the doctor then left the room very quickly as his pager had gone off, they were left alone in the room. Greg then looked to the people in the room. "Who wants to go first?" Greg asked with worry still in his voice. The doctor had relaxed them a little but Greg knew that head injuries could still be fatal.

Spike was the first to go and see Sam, as he entered the room he stopped right in the door way. Sam was paler than he had ever seen; the bandage was wrapped around his head and chest. This scared him. He had seen people hurt but never this bad and being a friend too. A friend that had saved his life without him even knowing, and getting hurt at the same time too. He hated himself. He had given Sam a cold shoulder "Hey Sammo." Spike said, allowing the words to roll out of his mouth before moving to the seat that Wordy had been in only a few hours before. "It's Spike mate…" Spike didn't know what to say to him. He was just sat there looking at his injured team mate. Because that is all he made Sam feel. A team mate not a friend, not someone he trusted; someone that they thought was there to spy on them… God he had put that idea into their heads because of what Hollern had done when they had first met him. Holleran had come to check on Sam the day after he joined the team, Spike was he only person who saw this meeting but it looked like they knew each other. They had been all business like at first but then Holleran had pulled Sam into a left handed hug which Sam gave back. Then both of them laughed and Sam pushed Holleran away. He didn't ask Sam what it was about but that didn't stop him from running to the locker room and telling the team. After that he was very careful about what he said in front of Sam, but now he wished he had asked or kept it to himself. "God, Sam why didn't I ask you about it? All I had to do was ask but I didn't, I just spread rumours around the team and didn't let you explain." Spike then rubbed his hands over his face. He hoped that his friend, yes that is what he was now a friend. He hoped that he could hear him. "Guess I was just worried that you would change everything but you had some good ideas. Remember the bomb call that you mentioned that the timer was a dummy and it was by phone call that would set the bomb off. I yelled at you and told you to let me do my job but when I got to it I found it to be true. I know I should have said sorry but I guess I was worried that you were more skilled than me with bombs. Guess that was the Special Forces training I can blame for that." He laughed to himself. "Guess I just want to say that I am sorry, and when you come back you can tell me how the hell you knew that by only looking at the bomb for a minute. I know Lou is good at this but I think you could be a little better." He laughed, if Lou knew that he would kill him. "And I need help with Babycakes which you can help with…and if you can get anything to help me improve her I would be grateful." Spike knew that Sam had contacts in the military or had experience to help him improve his beloved machines uses and equipment. Then he looked at his watch, he knew that his friends would want to see him before the night was up. He stood up and looked again at his friend, "I….we have a lot to make up for Sam, I just hope you will give us the chance to make that happen. And forgive us. Even a bit." And with that, Spike left the room and went back to the waiting room; they were all there however now they had a cup of coffee in their hands. Spike didn't say anything as he sat down in the seat next to Lou and looked at the floor. Lou then stood up and went to see Sam.

Lou had the same feeling as Spike as he entered Sam's room. The man that now lied in the bed too pale to be alive. Lou just stood at the end of the bed and looked at Sam, he signed. Sam had saved his life and he had never thanked him. What person did that make him? What type of people were his team to make someone feel like they didn't belong without getting to know them? That was the real question. He knew Sam knew that it was going to be hard to fit in however they never gave him a chance to show how he did things, they just put him down. Hell, the guy was an amazing sniper. Lou thought about the call where no one had a shot but Sam did, Ed had said the shot was risky, there was a wind that would make the shot difficult but Sam told the boss that he had made the shot before. Three minutes the boss called Scorpio and seconds after the man had pointed at gun towards them, he hit the floor and the sound of a gunshot. As they cleared the weapon, he saw that the man had died from a bullet to the centre of his head. Lou thought how much Sam could do that he never told them. "Hey Sam, hope you can hear me. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that we never made you part of our team. Which you are and I hope that we can show you that when you get out of here, and it will be fun to see who can repel faster down the front of the building. You or me. But don't do it with Jules as she cheats." Then Lou looked at the monitors that were next to the bed, the boss had told them their injuries but seeing it was too painful, "just get better mate, we need you." And then Lou left Sam alone. He couldn't do it. Like Spike he entered the waiting room without a word. He just sat next to Spike not saying a word. They looked at each other, guilt in yelling at Sam during debriefing when he had saved their lives and hadn't told them.

Jules then moved to visit Sam, as she got to the room she stopped outside the door. She knew that Sam must be in a bad way for Spike, Lou and Wordy to act the way they were. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Sam was laid in the bed, pale but Jules could see a tint of red in his cheeks. She moved into the room and sat in the chair not taking her eyes off him. The first time they had met she had pointed her gun at him followed by the team following suit. Then she saw him again when Holleran had told them he was joining the team, she knew that they should have let him bond with them or even to get to know him but they didn't. As he hadn't been picked by them, they didn't want him. But that didn't mean he wasn't right for the team, Jules thought. She had seen him shoot, he was better than her any day. But she never told him that. Male ego would kick in. "Hey Braddock, what you doing lying down on the job for?" She said smiling, a tear rolling down her face. She wanted Sam to wake up and yell at her for how they treated him or do anything that showed that he was still there and not…. She couldn't think it, when the doctor had told them that he has been injured before she thought about how he could have been injured like that. Like Wordy she was the faint scars that littered his body that made everything worse for her. This man that she had treated so badly was more likely a war hero. She picked up his hand and placed it in her own. It was so cold; if it wasn't for the monitors she would say he wasn't even alive. "Sam, I am so sorry that we never gave you a chance. I didn't give you a chance, and I wanted to get on with you but I guess I let everything get in the way. And I remember when you asked me when we were in the range about how I could improve my aim and I shot you down. I knew you were only trying to help me and I guess you have more experience in how to hit a target better than me and when this is over I would like to work on that if you can forgive me." Jules wiped the tears from her eyes and the ones that fell down her cheek. "I guess we need you more than we thought we did. You're part of the team now Sam and have been from the start, I hope you can find it in your heart to let us show that." And then as Jules let Sam's hand fall from her own she turned to leave the room. Looking back before leaving it she missed it. Sam's hand twitched. As Jules got back to the waiting room she saw Commander Holleran talking to Greg, she didn't want them to know she had seen them so she quickly went into the waiting and found the team still there and with fresh coffee cups at their feet or in their hands. Wordy stood up and moved towards her when she broke down. She cried into Wordy's chest as he held her. When she pulled apart she found Ed not there. "Did…." She stated to say and as she looked at Wordy he nodded. "I have already seen him." Wordy said pulling Jules to a seat. They weren't leaving yet, not till they had all seen him.

Ed stood outside the room as he saw a nurse check Sam's monitors and it looked like a vile of blood had been taken too as it lay in a bowl on the table at the end of the bed. Ed hated seeing someone hurt but when it was one of his own it was worse. He felt an anger worsen every minute. He may have not treated Sam like a member of his family like the others but he was a team mate and a man under his command. As the nurse left the room he entered it, Sam was in his eyes very ill. He had seen many good men and friends die all the time but god the kid was only young. And didn't deserve this. Yes the young man was cocky at times but that could be blamed on the Special Force training, he knew that only the best went into that. And the young man was skilled in his own right. An excellent sniper, that was clear with the shots he took and the range results. He also knew a few languages from what Ed had heard when Sam had been on the phone. He had muttered something that sounded like Russian but he hadn't asked. He had never asked because he didn't trust Sam, Steve had told him to watch his teams back with Sam around and he never had the thought about asking Sam what Steve meant. He knew that he should have but he guessed that deep down he didn't want to have him there. He didn't like someone that they hadn't tested to be suddenly welcome to the team; Holleran hadn't given any explanation for why Sam had been picked or why the young man had suddenly left the Special Forces when it was clear to him that the military was everything to him and his family. But by the way that Sam never talked about what he had done, well the bits he could he didn't. Ed had thought about why that was one night when he had come home late after a long day. First he thought that maybe his father had gotten involved too much and he didn't want them to think that his father did everything for him but then why would his father let him leave the military. Secondary, he thought that maybe he thought that they would treat him differently because of it but it couldn't be as bad as they had been treated him. Then he thought of the third opinion. He had lost someone that he was close too, that would make him think twice about talking about what he did if he had lost some really good friends. But as Sam had become a soldier he must have known that he would lose some, and then Ed thought that whatever it was must have been bad enough to make him leave. Ed then left those thought alone. He sat in the seat that was close to Sam's bed. He sighed and rubbed his hands over his head and face, how did he let this happen? He was meant to be a team leader and he was been cruel to a member of his team, never letting the young man show what he was trained to do. Never giving him a real reason not to like him. "Hey Sam. It's Ed…" He didn't know what to say to someone what he had treated so badly and then learn that he had done everything he could in keeping his team mates save which he ended up taking a bullet. "Look Sammo, I guessed that I took what Steve said to heart too much and I know I should have asked you about what he meant by not trusting you to watch our backs. But god, it got to me and I have known Steve for an while. However you're a team mate… I should have asked…" Ed felt his emotions get the better of him. He hated himself. Hate might be a strong word but he had let a team mate down. He had used things he had heard to judge Sam instead of the work and skill Sam gave the team. He had saved lives with those skills. He could think of three hostages that would have been killed if Sam hadn't taken a risky shot, to him it was risky but to Sam… It was a walk in the park. Ed had seen Sam's skill with a rifle and as a bomb tec but every time he thought Sam had done a good job his mind fell back on Steve's words. "I am sorry Sam." He said, rubbing the tears from his eyes and he got to his feet. "What type of leader was I to you? Not a very good one I bet. Hope you can let me prove to you that I can be… just don't give up on us Sam…." Then Ed thought to himself that he hoped this wasn't their last meeting. "Please…" He said leaving the room. And like Jules he didn't see Sam's hand move however this time he gripped the blanket the covered him. As Ed walked back to the waiting room he found it empty, all but Greg. "Where…" Ed started to say but Greg cut him off. "I sent them home. So do you Ed. Sophie will want to know what happened." Greg stood up after that. "Want me to wait and give you a ride home?" Ed asked knowing Greg too well. Greg smiled and shook his head, "I need to see him and then I am going to wait till his parents get here." Ed looked at his friend and sighed. "Greg, his parents aren't going to be here till tomorrow. I think we all need some sleep, I am waiting here till you come out. Then I will take you home….and got argue…" Ed said as Greg opened his month. "Your car is still at the Barn so I am waiting." And with that Ed sat down, Greg smiled again. He knew Ed wasn't moving now.

As Greg moved towards Sam's room, everything went through his mind. From the moment he met Sam he knew that the young man was hiding something. He had seen a little bit of Sam's file, he knew that Sam had been the youngest member for the Special Forces and their best sniper. He however had never seen any information about what he had been involved with, as Greg had looked though Sam's file the night after their first call that most of it had been removed or inked out. He could only guess what Sam had seen over there but by how old the man looked when he met and then found his true age it had shocked him. Sam looked twice as old as he truly was. As he entered Sam's room he face fell, the young man that he had thought that looked older than his years looked so young in his current state. He also looked vulnerable, which Sam never had done before. Sam was always a big lad that was always ready for action and was very able to defend himself. Then he moved to the seat that most of the team had used. And let his head fall into his hands. "It is nice that you guys are here." He heard a voice and he looked up straight away to see Dr. Redcliff stood in the door way. "And luckily for you I have told the nurses to let your team stay too as visiting hours were up a long time ago." He then added moving into the room and checking Sam's monitors. "He is a team mate." Greg said as the doctor turned to look at him. The doctor nodded in response, and then Greg thought back to what the doctor had said before about Sam. "Have you known the Braddock's long?" This question made the doctor smile. "I served with his father as a medic but retired from that life to help people in my own city. But I heard stories about his son doing very well. And getting into even more trouble than his father." Greg smiled and nodded. Sam had gotten himself in some tight jams working with him but somehow got out of them very well and normally he had been right to do what he was meant to do. The young man was very skilled but also had a lot of heart. And if he thought that he could connect with someone who would try. Try to save them. That was what impressed Greg the most, Sam was a tried soldier who was meant to shot first and talk later but he was good at both. Greg was too lost in thought to see the doctor leave the room, but something broke him out of it. He sighed and then looked back at Sam. "Look Sam, I need to apology the most out of everyone. I let this happen. I didn't try to bring this team together instead I let you almost be pushed out when you are right for us. You might be the most skilled person I have met and we….I should have allowed you to show that instead of waiting for you to fail." He rubbed his hand over his face and then looked back at Sam. "I hope you can forgive us because I don't believe we are going to be able to forgive ourselves very easily." As Greg looked down at his hands he heard a strange noise. "Not your fault." Those were the words, he thought he was alone. And by looking around the room he found he was. "Down here boss." He voice said again and Greg looked straight at Sam, his eyes were open and he was laid looking at him. "Sam…?" Greg said as a nurse came in and quickly ran from the room. "Do I really look that bad?" Sam asked looking at Greg, who was smiling and crying at the same time. He laughed at Sam question. _'He was alright.'_ Greg told himself.


	10. Chapter 10

Greg stayed in the room as Dr. Redcliff came in running with the nurse that had come in before. "Mr. Braddock it is good to see you awake. I had been wondering what colour your eyes were?" The doctor said smiling as he flashed his pen light in Sam's eyes. Sam looked at him with that funny look, "Really"? Greg had a right mind to hit Sam over the head if it hadn't been for the head injury.

"Yer and I can tell you that the same as your fathers and you have his attitude when he wakes up injured." The doctor smiled and looked at Greg, letting him know it was alright. But the look Sam gave the doctor was at first shock. "You know my….?" Sam started but the doctor cut him off. "Yes I know your father, served with him for a long time. And can I say that you are a double of him." The doctor said laughing at Sam's face. Then Sam turned to Greg, "Please tell me you didn't call him?" Worry was written all over his face. Greg sighed knowing that he had to tell Sam the truth; he hadn't been truthful to him from the start so he knew he needed to try. "Troy called your mother and father; they are both on their way with your sister. Your mother and sister are on their way and your father is catching a plane back." Sam groaned and closed his eyes. "Are you in pain?" The doctor asked worry. He moved Sam's bed so he was sitting up more and then looked at Sam's face worried about the young man. "No but I soon will be." Sam mumbled to which Greg and the doctor looked at each other seeing if the other knew what Sam meant. "What do you mean Sam?" Greg asked, worry straight in his voice to which Sam opened his eyes. "The General has been setting up that meeting for months and I went and did this…" He looked down at his badly beaten body and the continued, "I am going to get an ear full for making him miss it." The doctor smiled and went to check Sam's chart, however Greg looked at Sam.

"What do you mean Sam? I don't think your father will be too upset when he finds of that you are ok." But the look he got from Sam made Greg re-think that comment. "No offense boss but you don't know my dad." Then they both heard the doctor leave the room. "Sam you couldn't have stopped this." Greg said moving the chair closer to Sam's bed. Sam laughed to himself and then looked at Greg, "Boss I use to be in the Special Forces and I couldn't defend myself against a guy with a blunt weapon. So stupid…" Greg knew when people were blaming themselves for something. "Sam…" Greg started but he was cut off. "Boss I should have known better. I knew someone was following me but when I turned around he hit me in the head." Greg nodded, "I don't blame you guys." Sam muttered to Greg and turned his head to look at him. Greg looked confused and Sam smiled. "I heard all of you." Sam said smiling. "I am glad I was missed." He then said turning his body slowly so he was facing Greg. Greg dropped his head with shame. "Sam, we are sorry. We had no right in treating you the way we did." As Greg looked up he saw Sam smiling at him. "What?" Greg asked looking confused to which Sam laughed but then stopped as his ribs weren't strong anymore. "Boss, I have had that treatment before in the military because of who my father is but in Special Forces, in my unit they didn't care so much. I guess you guys have a reason for it. My unit picked me for my skills but you guys didn't. I was placed in your team. I don't blame you fully about what happened but…" Sam stopped; Greg could see that Sam was in pain and struggling to find the words.

So Greg answered back, "Sam we had no right to make you feel unwanted like we did and should have got to know you better before we got to know you. And I should have let you prove to us… to me that you were right for us. I am sorry Sam." Greg looked at Sam; he was always a hard man to read. Military men were always like that but then Sam smiled. "When I get back can we re-start everything?" Greg was shocked, he should be the one to say that not Sam. But smiled, "I want that Sam, for sure." They both smiled at each other. "Are the team here or did you send them home?" Sam asked pushing himself up.

Greg then remembered Ed; he pulled out his phone and dialled Ed's number. It rang only once till Ed had answered it. "Greg what's happened?" Worry was again in his voice, Greg thought to himself _'Did Ed think something had happened to Sam?' _"No Ed, can you come to Sam's room?" Greg asked not wanting him to think something was wrong or call the team in. They needed rest before they told them but maybe if he told them it would help them however he knew his team and they would all come back wanting to say sorry to Sam now he was awake. Greg heard Ed get up and move and then the line went dead.

"So…?" Sam asked waiting for his boss to answer his question. "Well, Ed is here only because he said…well he told me that he was waiting to give me a lift home but I sent everyone else home. They needed rest… want me to call them?" Greg said looking at Sam who shook his head. "Let them sleep. But no offense boss you look like you need some sleep too." Greg smiled and looked at his rookie. "So do you." Sam smirked, and looked at Greg's phone, "From what your phone says boss I have had nearly three full days of sleep." Greg had the right mind to slap or hit Sam to knock the cheek out of him but really cared about Sam even if it had taken him this long to notice it.

"You were in a coma." Greg said loudly causing Sam to smile, and then they both heard the door open. Looking up they both saw Ed which a face full of shook as he looked at Sam. "Hey Ed." Sam said turning back so his back was flat against the pillows. "Sam…" Ed started to speak but Sam laughed but then winced at the pain of his ribs. _'He had to stop doing that.'_ He thought to himself. "Ed I heard everything you said so no need for a repeat please." Sam said when he felt the fire burn from his chest again. Ed looked surprised but as he made contact with Greg he understood what Sam was talking about. He had heard that sometimes someone in a coma could sometimes hear the things around them and that familiar voices were stronger to hear than ones that they didn't know.

Ed moved to the foot of bed and crossed his arms. "Do you remember anything about…?" Ed started at ask. Sam looked at him and finished his question. "…who used me as battering practise?" Ed smiled and bark laughed at Sam statement, Greg also chuckled at Sam's words as it was true. Someone had used Sam's head as a ball, that image Greg couldn't get out of his head. Ed nodded at Sam statement still wanting an answer. Sam smiled but they could tell it wasn't a happy one. "All I remember was hearing someone following me but when I got to the alley I turned to see who it was and well I got hit in the head before I could turn. Never saw his face." Greg nodded seeing that Sam was getting tired; the poor lad couldn't stop his eyes. Greg looked at Ed hoping he understood the message that he was trying to get through to him. Ed nodded seeing that Sam's body wasn't healed yet and talking would waste a lot of energy for someone who had only been awake for less than an hour. "We will come back tomorrow Sam, get some rest." Greg said standing and moving towards Ed before turning to Sam. "I'm not going anywhere boss but might need back up tomorrow." Ed and Greg looked back at Sam with a confused look. "I am betting the General will be here tomorrow and might need back up dealing with him. Our family get together normally ends in a fight." Sam smiled as he fell back to sleep.

Greg and Ed smiled and looked at each other before leaving the room; Greg then thought to himself Ed had mentioned something. As they climbed into Ed's car, Greg turned to his old friend. "What do you know about Sam's father?" Ed had only started the engine when he turned to look at his friend and boss. He allowed his body to fall against his seat, "Well General Braddock is the most feared and high honoured Generals at the moment. Hell Sam's whole family is filled with Generals and Admirals and Majors so it is no surprise that Sam joined. But some have gone on to be brilliant business men after leaving the army." Ed turned to his boss and then sighed. "It's one of the reasons that I didn't want Sam here, the Braddock family has powerful friends and is a highly respected family. God I bet Sam went to the best private school money could buy. Guess I shouldn't have judge him on his family before meeting him. I have given him hell for it." Ed hit the wheel with a good amount of power that Greg was worried that he might hurt himself.

"Eddie, we all treated him differently but guess what he said to me when we were waiting for you?" Greg said smiling. Ed turned to him. "What?" Ed thought that maybe he would ask to be placed on another team; he wouldn't blame him if he did, and they had treated him like dirt. "If we could restart everything when he gets back." Ed looked as shocked as Greg felt when Sam had asked it. "And what did you say?" Ed asked but Greg only smiled and nodded. They were both smiling as the pulled out of the hospital car park. They had a lot of things to fix and it was going to take time. But they were willing to take it.


	11. Chapter 11

Ed dropped Greg off at his apartment and then headed home; he wasn't dropping Greg off that the Barn as he knew that he would never go home. He would stay at the Barn for what was rest of the night working on who had attacked Sam instead of sleeping; he took some comfort that the boss' car was still at the Barn so Greg couldn't get there. As Ed pulled up outside his house but didn't get out. He couldn't, he had so much going through his head that he couldn't take that home to his family. But he knew that Sophie would be up waiting. He knew that his wife could always tell when he was upset him or worried him and she knew it. He didn't know how but she did and would be waiting for him to come home to talk it over. He looked down at his clock that was flashing in his car. It was nearly 03:00, he hoped Sophie had gone to bed and he knew that Clark would have gone too; he had school in the morning.

But he knew that he couldn't hide in his car forever so slowly got out of his car, quietly closing the door and walked up the path; opening the door and locking it hoping that he had some time alone. It was how they had made Sam feel for the last few weeks; didn't he deserve the same thing? He sighed as he placed his keys down on the kitchen table and lent against the kitchen counter. _'God, how did everything go wrong?'_ He thought to himself. He rubbed his hands over his face when he heard someone come into the room and flicked the light on. Ed turned to see Sophie leant against the door frame with her hands crossed over her chest. Sophie could see the tears in Ed's eyes as she crossed the room she pulled her husband into a hug. "What to talk about it?" She whispered in his ear, she knew that Ed wouldn't tell her or show any emotions to her unless it was so painful that he couldn't help it. Ed pulled away from her and looked at her. "I messed up." Ed said shaking his head, like he was trying to rid his head of the images of Sam's broken and beaten body.

Sophie took hold of his hand and pulled him to the kitchen table; she then made him sit down and grabbed Ed a cup of water. Placing the cup in front of him, she sat in the seat next to him. She took his hand and waited for him to say anything to her; she didn't want to push him. "You remember me telling you about Sam Braddock?" Ed asked looking at her. Sophie though other the conversation that she had with him and only remembered Ed mentation that name only a few times, "Isn't he team one's new rookie?" Sophie asked not sure with her thoughts, maybe she was wrong but Ed nodded. Sophie thought back to Ed's comments when he had come home. To Sophie, it was clear to her that her husband didn't like their new rookie for some reason; only commented in him in a bad light but Sophie thought that no one would have been put on the team if they weren't good at their job, _'so why was Ed so upset?'_ To her it was odd for him to hate someone and then come home like this. "What happened Eddie?" Sophie asked taking his hand again. "He was attacked on Friday. We didn't find out till Wordy went looking for him at the hospital and found him. God Sophie, he is a mess. And though that entire thing he forgave us for all the crap we had put his way. We made him feel like he didn't belong but he can forgive us so easily…" Ed stopped shaking his head before pouring the cold liquid into his dry mouth. Sophie head was spinning, Eddie always acted like he was in pain when he saw another person but more powerful a cop had been injured. But the guilt was so clear in his eyes. Ed thought that if he had taken the young man under his wing instead of making the young man feel like he wasn't right for the team. But he was, he was a good team player and he tried to work with them even when they gave him a cold shoulder.

God he had saved their lives more than once and didn't put it in their faces wanting some comment about it but he didn't. Sam never did. Sophie sighed and looked at her husband. "You are there now for him; you just need to make sure that he understands your reasons and move past them." Ed smiled at his wife. "When did you get so smart?" Ed asked smiling at his wife. Sophie hit his arm and laughed. "I have always been smart Edward Lane." Pulling her into a kiss, Sophie smiled as she pulled away. "So how is Sam?" Sophie asked and Ed smiled back, Sophie was confused, Ed said he was hurt. "Woke up when Greg was in the room with him, doesn't seem that he has any brain damage but he doesn't remember anything after the first hit." Ed's smile fell and his hand's gripped into fists, Sophie knew the reason for that. Someone had attacked one of his team and he wouldn't rest till they had the person responsible. "I saved some dinner for you; I will warm it up for you." Sophie said standing up but Ed took her hand in his stopping her. She looked at him and he smiled. "Thank you." He said and she smiled and went to the kitchen. _'Maybe we are healing' _Ed thought. _'In more ways than one.'_ Ed quiet ate the pasta bake that Sophie had warmed up and he told her to go back to bed, and he would be up as soon as he had finished. Shovelling the pasta into his mouth he chewed it more than he needed to. He had a lot to think about, but he was angry. Angry at himself for allowing his feelings get in the way of things but angrier at the man who thought they could hurt one of his men and get away with it. And it was that that kept him wake. As he moved upstairs and climbed into bed, Sophie was already fast asleep. However Ed couldn't sleep, every time he closed his eyes he saw the broken body of his rookie laid in his hospital bed. With tubes pierced into his skin with different coloured fluids being pumped into his body, that image scared him. That image was going to haunt him, but he also felt the rage in his blood that when he got his hands on the person who had done this. He might be looking for a new job. He wanted to kill the bastard who had hurt someone that he now saw as a younger brother. He remembered Sam's plans for enters and exits during raids but also Sam could pick out any sniper perches better than anyone else. Even him.

After he closed his eyes again he saw what might have happened to Sam, he saw a dark figure pick up a metal pipe and hit Sam again and again. He watched as someone he knew was beaten to the edge of his life. Ed couldn't see the man's face but he tried, his feet were like concrete blocks. But he heard every hit as the pipe cracked though Sam's skull and blooded his body. Ed tried to stop it, to attack the man but he couldn't. Then he saw Sam's face, bloody but his eyes were open. Those pale blue eyes staring at him like he was asking him why he wasn't helping him?

Ed shot up, trying to get his breathing back into its normal rate. Sniper breathing helped at this moment. He turned to see that Sophie wasn't there. He looked at the window to see some sunlight flow into the room. _'What time is it?'_ He asked himself. He turned to see the alarm clock flash 06:30. 'Crap.' He thought climbing out of bed and heading for a shower and quickly got changed. He went down stairs to find Sophie talking to Shelly.

As he came down he saw Wordy stood next to Shelly with a cup of coffee in his hand. "Hey Wordy, morning Shelly. When did you two turn up?" He was a little surprised to see them, Wordy hadn't said much last night before he left and it had been him to find Sam when everyone else felt like waiting. He was the only one so worried that he went to find him out of all the team. "Ed can I talk to you out back?" Wordy asked placing his empty cup in the sink as Ed nodded and they both headed out back. They needed to talk as a team but Ed wanted to speak to his friend alone and was glad that he had asked and not him, as he didn't know how Sophie and Shelly would react to it.

When they were sure they were alone Wordy turned to Ed, "I got a call from a detective who was working on who attacked Sam and…." Wordy started however Ed cut across him, anger in his tone when he spoke. "What do they know?" He almost growled. Wordy stopped and looked at his friend, trying to read him or wait till he calmed down a little, all he needed was to exploded and then Sophie and Shelly would be wanting answers. "They think it was a targeted attack." Those words hurt Wordy badly and by the shock on Ed's face, he wasn't expecting that. "Why would anyone want Sam dead?" Ed said shock now mixed with his rage. "I don't know." Wordy replied with a sigh.


	12. Chapter 12

Ed drove to the station with Wordy so Shelly had the car to drive home with. Ed had called Greg to find that he had already gotten a call from the detective in charge of Sam's case and he was already at the station with Commander Holleran. Greg also told them that he had asked Winnie to call everyone from team one and four back to the station as they needed to work on what was going on. Greg had called Troy to let him know that Sam was awake and he had offered him and his team to help. As Ed and Wordy pulled up they saw no sign of Jules, Lou or Spike yet but knowing their team mates it wouldn't be long but they were glad that it was like that. They wanted to talk to Holleran, Troy and Greg first before the team comes in. They needed to deal with some things before the teams got to the station. As they walked into the briefing room they saw Troy and Greg already in their uniform with Commander Holleran and another man stood talking.

They didn't know the man but they knew the uniform, it was military. Wordy and Ed went quickly to get changed and it was Wordy who broke the silence. "Think that's the General?" He asked putting his jacket on. Ed sighed thinking about the man they had seen, it wasn't a general. Ed shook his head and looked at Wordy as they both shut their lockers and headed back to the briefing room. Ed then answered Wordy's question, "that wasn't the general but he is high in the military.' As they entered the briefing room, and the small talk between the four men stopped. Ed was right; the man in the military uniform wasn't the one of a General.

"Ed Lane, Kevin Wordsworth…" Holleran started and turned to look at the military man stood next to him. "…this is Major Benjamin Braddock. He is a Major in Army and had been briefed on everything but also is under orders to help us find out who might have targeted Sam." Ed and Wordy both looked at each other and then at Greg and Troy who were seated now. "Any relation to Sam?" Wordy asked, the question that had about to come from Ed. Holleran and Major Braddock both smiled at each other, they knew this was going to happen. "Yes, I am his uncle. I was landing after a tour overseas when William called, he told me about Sam and we spoke to the Admiral who issued the order to keep Sam safe. William will be landing in about two hours but I know my sister-in-law is already at Sam's bedside with his sister Natalie. They are under guard but the men have been told that any member of the SRU can visit him but they will need ID to let them pass." The Major explained but his words caused Ed and Greg to meet eyes and silently have a conversation.

Why would an Admiral put a military security team on a former solider, maybe because of his military family? But there was more and it was something they weren't telling them. "I am sorry to ask this…" Troy said standing up, "…but why would an Admiral put a military team on security for a former soldier when he is police. Shouldn't we be the ones to protect Sam?" The question was fair enough and by the look Major Braddock gave Troy, he wasn't angry but almost pleased at the question and proud of it._ 'That is odd.' _Greg thought wanting the Major as he answered it.

"The Admiral is family." And that was all. That news shocked the SRU officers in the room, the only ones that didn't were the Major and Commander Holleran. "What?" Wordy asked but no one had time to speak as the rest of Team One and Team Four entered the room fully in uniform and some with faces that showed pure anger. Word had gotten out to them that Sam might have been targeted.

"Alright." Commander Holleran said making everyone look at him. "Let's all of us take a seat and we will explain what we know about what happened to Sam." His tone held the commanding tone to which every SRU officer heard and followed. He called to Winnie and asked her to see if Team Two could handle some overtime which the quick response from her is they didn't think twice about it. News on Sam's attacked had gone through the department like a wildfire. No one hurt a cop and got away with it. After the doors closed Commander Holleran and Major Braddock were the only ones standing.

"Alright let's begin with introductions…" Holleran started and pointed to the Major. "This is Major Benjamin Braddock and before you ask he is Sam's Uncle." He said hearing some of the shock grasps and the expressions on their faces. But he continued. "Major you have already met Greg, Troy, Ed and Wordy…" He said pointing to the four men and then pointed to each member saying their name and which team they were on. He did this very quickly like he knew keeping them waiting for news on Sam was a bad idea, so he quickly handed over to the Major.

"First of all, I visited Sam this morning then I got here and he is already arguing with his Doctor, who luckily could handle his father very well about when he is fit enough to leave the hospital…" Ed growled a comment like 'I am gonna kill him' but the Major heard and smiled. "Sadly Mr Lane, my nephew is like his father too much and he is stubborn to the core. Blame the genes for that." Everyone smiled at the comment, Ed knew Sam was very stubborn. More so when he knew he was right. But then the Major face showed a great deal of pain. Greg was the only one to see it but what he said next showed the sadness in his eyes.

"Sadly, hospitals is the one place that Sam hates been in. He always has, mainly because of how he has ended up there. The first was when he was nine and was walking his little sister to the park to play, when a car hit the curb and ended up hitting her. Sam saw the whole thing…." Grasps and horror filled the officers' faces, some had the signs of tears forming in their eyes but none fell. "She died in the hospital, their mother was away visiting friends up north and William, well, and he was in a meeting with the chief staff when they brought us the news. I was with him and that day I only saw a broken man. We got to the hospital as soon as we could only to find Sam sat with an officer not saying a word. The officer told us that he hadn't spoken a word since it happened, and it had been a neighbour who had told them who they were. I drove them both back home, William still holding Sam but Sam never spoke. But the worse thing was that he never cried." This story broke every member of the teams. Jules was in tears but didn't make a sound and Spike was closely following. But they all where, Greg looked at his hands. The way that the Major had told them about not crying at his sister's death scared him. Through all the time he had spent with Sam, he had never shown a weakness expect for the team.

"The other time was when he was injured in combat, they had been ambushed but luckily Sam was able to kill most of the attackers but didn't get away uninjured. He took a bullet to the leg and one to the abdomen which he forgot to inform his Sergeant and was only found out when his friend found him bleeding out; he got read the riot act after that. Also the worse time he was in hospital was when he was a POW for six months…" Shock and horror again ripped through the team. They had no idea that Sam had been a POW, he had never mentioned that to them. "What happened?" Ed growled feeling the anger rage through him. But before the Major could answer two men walked in both in military uniform and both looking pissed off. "He was cut off from his unit when he was captured along with his spotter. Luckily we gathered intelligence to locate Sam but six months are a long time to be missing, William had most of the army looking for Sam. But then we got a call." The Major said smiling.

"Who from?" Wordy asked looking confused, he was talking about his nephew been captured and tortured but now was smiling.

"From Sam." The Major said smiling and then looked at Holleran who lead the same look but not smiling.

"How?" Spike exploded looking shocked that his friend had been capture and had god knows done to him for six months and then he calls the military. That only proves that Sam stronger than anyone they had met before.

"He had somehow escaped and ended up capturing one of the main men in the Taliban with only his spotter as back up. Both had some serious injuries but they held back the Taliban until the rest of their unit turned up and got them out. Sam was sent home for a time after but he asked to go back." The news choked the team that their friend who survive something like that and then ask to go back. They didn't know if that was brave or stupid.

"The last time he was in hospital was when his unit had been sent into an ambush." This was the first time he turned away from them to hide his face. Ed rubbed his hands over his face; he had been military and knew the pain he must have felt. "We knew that someone had been targeting Special Op teams in the area. The British were lucky that they didn't lose one of their teams in a similar attack. They were sent to a location that had been used for a meeting place of the main members of the Taliban and was the place where one of them lived but as they entered they found it rigged to explode. Sam found that out and ordered everyone to get out. He was the last which was the reason he was injured, a concussion broke leg and a fractured spine. God, sometimes Sam's loyalty to his team is stronger than the task of keeping himself alive." The Major's face fell and he looked at the window.

"Sam always comes back stronger. Take comfort in that." The Major said turning back to them. "Also for Sam's security that information must be kept secret, most of that information I know Sam wouldn't like me telling you all of that but you need to understand that Sam is a hard man to kill." The last part Greg didn't know if it was meant for them or he was trying to convince himself.

"So are thinking that whoever attacked Sam might want to come back and finish the job?" Jordon asked, he might have been the newest member to team four but he had trained with Sam and knew the guy had skill.

The Major turned to look at outside the window again but was about to answer when Holleran answered. "We believe that someone had been watching to attack Sam but don't know if they targeted him because of his military career or his police one. But we aren't taking any chances. " Holleran said standing up and stood in front of his two teams. "Team one will go and visit Sam in the hospital before meeting up with the detective in charge. Team Four I need you to take over from Team Two, as they have had an hour of overtime. You guys can visit Sam after Team One is back on the streets if you aren't on a call. But I want all of you to press your contacts and see if you can find out if Sam was the target for his military career or if this is about him being a cop."

And with that the teams got to work, however Greg and Ed leaf off from leaving the room instead they walked towards the Holleran and the Major. "What aren't you telling us?" Greg asked looking between the two men; he had seen the small looks between the two men as they explained Sam's hate of hospitals and some of his military career, they weren't tell them everything. Holleran looked at the Major who sighed nodded. Holleran understood and looked at his two men. "The military has found some chatter about someone looking for a member of the JTF 2. They can't be sure if it is Sam they were looking for but the dates match. The military and we need to be worried that they may try again." This news worried both of them and they both nodded and quickly left. They needed to see Sam and to make sure he was safe. They needed too.


	13. Chapter 13

Team one quickly got to the hospital to find the place looking normal expect nearer to Sam's room. The door was cut and two funny looking doctors were sat at the computer. Greg saw their body language and guessed that they were JTF 2 members and that was proven right when a man in doctors clothing walked up to them. "You must be SRU Team One?" He was military; Greg could see that by the way he stood. "Yes, I'm Sergeant Greg Parker and these are my team. I am guessing your Sam's security team that the Major talked to us about?" Greg started hoping to get on their good side as they might need their help later on. The man smiled, "Yer but also we all worked with Sam one time or another. I know some of the lads gave Sam a hard time after the shooting thing but that wasn't Sam's fault. Only members that give him a hard time were the lot that weren't there so can't really say anything but they will." Greg nodded at the fact and let the solider continue. "We have every exit and entrance covered with our hidden cameras, your tec can team up with mine to monitor them. I have one team in the entrance and one team in here. Your team can fit in where they want when you stay to help. Other than that it's down to Sam. His mother and sister got took to his place to get some rest and will be here again when the General gets here in about an hour." Greg was impressed; it seems that the JTF2 were more worried about Sam. Then the soldier's phone rang in his pocket and he pulled it out. "Sorry I need to take this; you guys can go in and see him I will be in there in a minute." He said about to turn away. "Sorry we didn't catch your name." Ed said stopping the soldier who turned with a sorry look. "Sorry I'm Captain James Blain, I was Sam's commander officer off and on, his skills were needed a lot so he changed hands." And with that the captain walked away taking on his phone, and which that the team walked into Sam's room.

They found him awake and sat up with a bottle of water in his hand. "Hi guys." He said looking up at them, they all looked shocked expect Greg and Ed. "You two didn't tell them?" Sam asked looking at Ed and Greg. Ed smiled and shrugged and sat in the chair next to the bed, Sam smiled and looked between his team leader and his boss. "Sam…we are…" Wordy started, seeming like the first to get over how awake Sam was, but Sam shook his head and looked at Ed. "You didn't tell them that ever?" And Ed smiled and looked at Greg, the look between the two leaders and back at Sam answered his question. Sam hated repeating himself but maybe he had too. "Like I told boss, I heard everything you guys said. So no need for a repeat." Confusion was easily read on all of their faces. "Are you sure Sam?" Spike asked and Sam smiled a cheeky grin that him. They asked for it. "Spike you said something about it was you spreading rumours around about me and Holleran, and something about me knowing more about explosives and you were worried I was going to take your place. Which you rightly blamed on my training which it was, and then you said something about me been better at bombs than Lou…" Lou gave Spike a look and Spike smiled and looked at the floor. "… You also mentioned about if I could try to get some highly classified bomb tec for babycakes you would be happy.' At that everyone looked at Spike, however Spike and Sam locked eyes. "Could you?" He asked hopefully. Sam smiled and winked at him, "I make some calls." Spike smiled at him friend. Ed only shook his head; this was not going to be good.

But then Sam started again. "Then Lou came in and said something about a test on who could repel down the side of the Barn the fastest and warned me that Jules cheats." Jules slapped Lou's arm and Spike broke into a laughing fit.

Sam joined in but was careful of his ribs. "And then Jules came in and had a go about me lying down on the job, well sorry couldn't help being in a coma by someone using my head as a football." The laugher and joy left the room with at statement as Sam moved his body slowly to a more comfortable position and then continued. "When you said if I could help you with your aim as you shot me down last time but I don't blame you. I had the same problem in the military, being one of the top snipers in the world. You always get people tell you to go away. But when I am allowed out of here, and allowed out of my apartment, we'll go to the range and destroy some targets." Jules smiled at that, and the look that Lou and Spike gave to Sam he shook his head, he missed this. "Yes you two can come too." Spike and Lou broke into cheeky grins.

Then Sam looked at Ed who was watching his rookie very closely. "Then Ed came in…" Ed's face turned to look at Sam more closely, to the team the two men were having their own talk but in silence. "I don't blame you. I heard what Steve said and I get it. I should have told you but guess I wanted to forget…" Before Sam could say anymore he gasped as he shifted his body. "And boss well you did the same as everyone else and said sorry but I can't really blame you for it. Happened in the military too…" Sam said closing his eyes. "Need us to get the doctor Sam?" Wordy asked moving closer to him. Sam opened his eyes. "Nor Wordy, I'm good. I got the same treatment in most of the units I was in. Being the son of a General isn't easy." Sam said sighing. "Or the nephew of a Major." Spike said smiling. Sam looked up and signed. "How much of my history do you know?" He said looking at them. "Only the hospital visits…" Greg said but Sam saw the pain in their eyes. "He told you about my sister." Sam said looking at the ceiling. He was going to have a word with his uncle when he got here. "Yer Sammy, we're so sorry…" Greg started but Sam stopped him. "It was a long time ago, I got over it. Then he told you about me being a POW and the ambush we got caught in." Sam finished but Greg knew that Sam hadn't gotten over his sister's death. Someone so young watching there sibling die in front of them had changed Sam, when Major Braddock had said that Sam hadn't cried for his dead sister he knew that Sam had been damaged greatly by it. But with Sam's military life, Sam had been through hell. Sam had saved his unit but had been injured and then held captive. Torture, they knew Sam would have been tortured and for someone already broken Greg couldn't believe the man was still in one piece.

The room was silent and it wasn't right so Wordy asked a question that the Major hadn't answered fully. "How are you related to the Admiral?" Everyone looked at Sam to Wordy and then at Ed and Greg. But they found Sam smiling. "I am guessing he had something to do with my own personal army outside. But yer, he is my Uncle; he is my mom's oldest brother." That was new, Admiral Michael Whitehall was the Admiral of the Canadian Army, but as he didn't have Sam's last name they hadn't made the connection. "So most of your family are military?" Lou asked, still surprised at the news. Sam sighed and said, "Sadly."

At that moment Captain James Blain walked in pocketing his phone and looked straight at Sam, "How you doing Scope?" He said with a grin; that was when Ed clocked the black bag he was carrying in his hand. Everyone else was confused in what the Captain had called Sam. "Really…" Sam said giving his old CO a look of 'I am going to kill you' which only made the captain smile. "What's the matter Scope?" He said still smiling. Sam just looked at the ceiling not believing this was happening. "Scope?" Spike asked finally looking at the captain and only got a grin from him. "Yer, Scope is one of the nicknames we gave Sammo here. Kid has too many stills, I think Red still calls you Rambo, just a warning…" but he was cut off by Sam half way explaining to the others. "He here?" Sam asked hoping that his old friend wasn't, he had too many stories that one. But Blain nodded, "He is watching the cameras, we both know he can't sit still for more than ten minutes before messing around. And Speed threatened me was a painful death if I paired them up again…" The talk had changed between Sam and Blain, and was like the team wasn't there.

"I did warn you last time." Sam said smiling, "You knew the risks." Blain laughed and then his face grow serious. "I have my orders Sam to make sure you stay put till the Major or the General have been and you can't leave until the doctor gives you the all clear. And no arguing with the last bit. You got no chose and I don't want to have to meet the Admiral. Understand?" Sam signed but nodded, Blain then threw the bag at Sam which fell into his lap.

"Then you're going to need that?" He said pointing at the bag. Sam nodded and as he opened the gun the team watched as he pulled a glock already loaded and watch Sam check the weapon.

"This that really…" Wordy started.

"It's only to make sure Sam can defend himself if someone comes after him. We might be the best but we are only two small teams. I am happier if I know Sam can defend himself if anything goes wrong." Blain explained before taking his leave.

"You guys on patrol?" Sam asked putting the weapon away. "We can stay Sam…" Greg started but Sam shock his head. "Boss, I have my own army outside and I know every single one of them. They may be a small number but we have been through worse. You guys go. I will be fine." Sam said, placing the bag under the covers in case anything happened.

"Call us if you need anything Sammo. Understand?" Ed said getting up and Sam nodded his head.

"Get out of here. And keep the peace." Sam said as they all left. It was hard for them as they left the hospital, as they radioed to Winnie to tell her they were back on patrol. As they wrapped up another riot for a drug's warrant a hot call came in that scared them to the bone.

"TEAM ONE HOT CALL" Winnie called through the radio.

"Where Winnie?" Greg asked.

"The hospital Sam's in." She said, fear thick in her voice.


	14. Chapter 14

As the team raced to the hospital, ideas came into their minds that they didn't like. Maybe someone had gotten past the Special Forces and had shot Sam as he slept. Or that the teams were being killed by a number of attackers. But to Ed and Greg who knew more than the team were worried that someone had gotten to Sam and that the team was trying to save him.

As the team arrived at the hospital they got there the same time as Team Four pulled up to the scene, they weren't going to let Sam get hurt again. "What do you know?" Troy asked moving to Greg and Ed but before they could speak two fake doctors came out hiding their fire arms under their coats and bullet proof vests clearly showing under them as they didn't have scrub tops on. One of them walked to a car as the other moved towards them.

"One target and he is dead. No ID or papers on him, whoever wants Sam dead they are going to a lot of trouble." The soldier reported and showed the teams into the hospital. Greg didn't like the use of 'target' the man was once a human and may have had a family. He never liked the army's attitude towards the subjects.

"How did it happen?" Ed asked as they got to where they found four armed army officers stood over or near the dead body that was being covered with a white towel. Before the soldier could answer, he saw Captain James Blain, the soldier saluted and moved away.

"To answer your question, we haven't got a clue. He walked in here and must have spotted my team and opened fire. I got two men injured, both lucky they had vests on and they weren't armed piercing rounds." Blain looked angrier at himself than what had happened. "My team is running his prints and photo through the terrorists watch list but so far nothing." Greg, Troy and Ed looked surprised at the quickness of the Special Forces in killing the man before he hurt more of them or innocent people, but to the others they looked confused.

"How much does Sam know?" Greg asked looking worried about their rookie as if he knew that two people almost died from him, he would blame himself. They knew that much about him.

"Well when the shooting started, three of my team secured him and his room. Sadly Sam's hearing is better than any normal persons so they had to brief him on what happened but I went to check on him when the target was dead." Blain explained. Ed and Troy nodded glad that Sam was safe but Greg was worried and upset that the dead man was named 'the target' and not his name. Someone had come into a hospital to kill one man and somehow pointed out a security team that blended in well with the hospital.

"So what now?" Troy asked.

"Troy, your team can help the military teams secure the hospital. Spike I want you to find this man on CCTV and track his every move and how he got here. Wordy and Jules talk to the doctors and nurses who saw this go down, I want witness statements. Me, Troy and Ed will go with Captain Blain and debrief Sam. Keep in contact if anything new comes in." The teams nodded but before Spike could leave a military man with a bandaged arm and flaming red hair walked over. "We have all the CCTV rooted into a private waiting room, and all our kits there. It might help." The soldier said and Blain smiled and answered the unspoken question. "Go for it Red." And Blain, Troy, Ed and Greg headed to Sam's room which had one of the military personal stood outside leaving Red and Spike alone.

"This way mate." He said as he opened the door showing Spike the undersigned room. The tables and chairs that were once dotted around were pushed to the edge of the room and bunks were placed along the right side of the room with the other having tables with computers, weapon bags and CCTV systems monitors. The far wall was covered instead of medical and support posters were now full of maps, photographs and a whiteboard with military code written on it. "Here mate." Red said as he moved into the room. "Welcome to our new home…well until Rambo is released from this place." Spike smiled and moved towards the monitors seeing that three of the bunks were taken with sleeping soldiers. "So that was you. I have heard about you." Spike said sitting down at the monitors next to Red who turned and smiled at him. "Yer… what you heard all good l hope?" He said and Spike smiled but then it fell. "Only that you called Samtastic 'Rambo'." Spike said looking at the monitors of the shooting and trying to track the man. "Samtastic? That's a new one." Red said smiling and then they got to work.

Jules had been talking to the nurses as Wordy took the doctors and the people in the ward. Wordy then went to were the other injured soldier was sat up waiting for the doctor to check his would again. "Hey, I'm Wordy. Can I ask you some questions about what happened?" He asked coming into the room and the soldier looked up at him.

"Sure thing, you a member of Sam's new team?" He asked as Wordy looked down at his notes from the other witnesses. At the statement Wordy looked up at the soldier. "How long have you known Sam?" He asked knowing that he needed details on what happened but also in what Sam had been through. The soldier smiled. "Me and Sam go back, and he saved my life more than ones." Wordy nodded, but before he could speak the soldier added. "I'm Wire; by the way well that's what they call me. Real name Jo. And you're lucky that you have him. I betted on some private contractor would try to get him or someone similar." Wordy nodded but then wondered what Sam would have done after he left the military. But then he remembered that he had to keep Sam safe, the kid needed a break.

"So do you remember what happened?" Wordy asked and the soldier smiled. "Sadly, me and Red were on the desk, dressed like doctors working on the computer when this guy walked in and as I got up to change with Falcon he opened fire. Hit me three times in the vest and one in the shoulder, as Red went for his weapon he was hit in the arm. Before I could look up Blain, Watson and Blade were firing at him and he hit the floor dead. They don't miss." Wordy thought it over, who could the man have spotted the team?

"Do you know how he made you?" And with that Wire looked at him with the same confused look that they team had when they heard the news. "I have no idea, my vest and weapon couldn't be seen by him. Maybe he wanted Sam's death to be blamed on a lunatic and not a hit killing." Wire said as the doctor came into the room. Wordy thanked him and left so the doctor could work. He never got Jo's nickname, why would it be Wire?

As he wanted back into the hall way he saw the body of the man removed and the pool stain cleaned up, then he saw the news on the television reporting that the SRU had killed a man who opened fire at the hospital. "Jules, you seen that?" Wordy said pointing at the TV. She was as shocked as he was and they quickly made their way down the hall to where they found Ed, Greg and Troy talking to Captain Blain. "Why is the TV reporting that we killed that man?" Jules asked pointing back down the hall way. Shock appeared on all the SRU members and they looked to the Captain for answers which he signed before explaining.

"We are JTF2, we can't be seen to be operating on home soil and it's safer that they don't put the dots together which leads them to Sam. So the General ordered along with Holleran that this would be better that if it was reported at a SRU call, not a military one." Blain explained but then he stopped and saluted to a man who quickly walked past them and entered Sam's room. "I am so in trouble now." He muttered. Ed and Greg turned to see Sam's Uncle walking up to see them. "I am guessing…" He started pointing at Sam's room which he got a nodded reply from the Captain. "….well I leave them alone for a few minutes, that or until I hear them yelling at each other." And the Major smiled at the Captain who nodded and smiled back.

"Someone like to fill us in?" Troy asked crossing his arms, Ed agreed with him on that. Too much security was doing his head in.

"Sam and the General never see eye to eye. Their talks normally end with them yelling at each other and Sam storming out and going to the closest range." Blain said shrugging his shoulders. But then the Major added in his brother's defence. "And normally it's to do with Sam taking risks he shouldn't and nearly getting killed at the same time. I can't count the number of times he has done something that is so stupid and so brave at the same time. This ends up in a family fight and Sam shooting his rifle." Ed sighed and shook his head, he knew Sam took risks in the field but for the General to cause a scene with Sam it wasn't a onetime incident and he was going to have a word with his rookie when the General had finished with him.

Sam had been taking risks on calls since day one. Ed thought that Sam was trying to prove himself to the team that was the thought when he heard that Sam had been shot protecting the team. At first Ed had thought that Sam was showing off, as a Special Forces member he would. But he now he made a mental note to speak to Sam about taking risks. The Major then moved the Captain away from them for a report on everything before the General could demand it.

Greg looked at Ed and he knew that like him they needed a word about taking unnecessary risks for his safety. Troy then heard that there was another call, and his team had to leave. Team One was alone when Spike and Red almost ran into them, at the same time the Major and Captain Blain appeared and seeing the worry in both Red and Spikes faces worry was see able in their eyes. "What happened?" Blain asked his man. "I ran the man's face through our system and found that he was a man of hire. Mainly a hit man with only one employer." Red said handing Blain a file. "What employer?" Grey asked and as Blain opened the file, the man what was a hardened military man went pale. And he muttered.

"Al-Qaeda."


	15. Chapter 15

The news that Al-Qaeda could be behind Sam's attack heightened the worry in the team, with the news of Al-Qaeda being involved the Major quickly took the file from Captain Blain and went to fill in Sam and his brother. Red then spoke breaking the deadly silence on the group. "Blain do you want me to run everyone who has come into the country who has any connection with Al-Qaeda or the Taliban. I know it's a long shot but I can get Wire to give me a hand if the doctors' have let him go?" Blain looked at his man carefully thinking it over and he agreed with him, they needed to know if anyone else was going to try to kill Sam again. "Red do what you can, get Wire and then get Falcon to call in some favours with the intelligence team back at base here and in Afghanistan. We will need ears on both fronts." Red nodded showing that he understood but before he could leave Spike asked "Need a hand? I can get you Interpol and security channels. It might help find if anyone came here?" Red looked at Blain who smiled and nodded. Security was key but maybe Spike would be of help. "Come on then, let's see if Wire is available if he isn't hitting on the nurses" He said with a smiled and the two men walked back to find Wire and Falcon.

Greg had called Commander Holleran to fill him in on what had happened but also asked him if Team One could join the military in Sam's protection team which he agreed. Holleran cared for Sam but also he knew that Team One wasn't going to leave Sam's slide till everything was dealt with and Sam was safe. After Greg had put his phone back in his pocket he saw the Major exit Sam's room, his face looked as tired as Greg felt.

"Sam didn't know the man but he did say that he might know who sent him. I have to head back to base and deal with this. William will be coming with me so I want a report every hour. Is that understood Captain?" He said turning to Blain who nodded. Then the Major and the General walked out followed by the General's security team. Blain sighed and rubbed his face, this had turned out to be a long day.

"If you want to go see Sam go for it. I have to brief the rest of my men and call in a friend who might be able to give us a hand." And with that Blain walked off pulling his phone out as he went. Ed and Greg were now more worried about Sam's safety. Ed was thinking over what had happened and what could happen next? If a man could shot two of the soldiers what would the next one do? An IED came into Ed's mind but then he remembered the vehicle the other soldier had went too. It didn't look like a military vehicle, just another car. He pushed that image out of his head. Greg turned to Wordy and Jules, "I need you two to go and help security and see if anything needs improving. Jules I want you to grab Lou fill him on what's happened and get hold of the blueprints to the hospital. I want every inch of this hospital looked at to make sure this doesn't happen again." And with that they turned and quickly went into action, Greg had forgot that they had left Lou closing their other call and as he had the command truck they need him.

Greg and Ed then entered Sam's room, they found him still on the bed however in tracksuit bottoms with a military style t-shirt. He bandage off his head had been removed and the deep red scar could be seen from the side. He was on his phone and motioned that he would be finished in a minute to them as they entered. Greg took the seat closes to the window and Ed just stood at the end of the bed. "…Sure thing Tom, safe flight and I see you in a few hours." And with that Sam closed his phone and answered Ed's unspoken question. "My cousin, his dad called him and told him what happened. He will be here in a few hours, he is in the middle of the ocean somewhere but I know he's flying so it wouldn't be a long flight." Sam said placing the phone back on the table next to him with a grin. "Who…?" Ed started to ask but he was cut off by someone opening the door. They had to blink twice to make sure they weren't seeing double as a man who looked very similar to Sam walked in wearing a Navy uniform. His hair was the same as Sam's, light blonde and with his bright blue eyes. He could be Sam's twin brother and if they didn't know Sam was the only boy they would have thought so.

"You still here? Come on cuz, I had twenty bunks on you making a run for it after three hours." The man said smiling and walking over to Sam and pulling him into a one armed hug. "Andrew what are you doing here? I thought you were overseas on a ship somewhere?" Sam said smiling. "It's called having a dad who is a Commander, always a helpful thing you know. When I need it." Andrew said smiling. "Sorry…"He said turning to Greg and Ed. "…I'm Andrew Braddock, this idiot's cousin." He said pointing at Sam which earned him a punch in the ribs. "Hey!" He said wincing from the pain. "…Wait Sammo, I will get you back." He warned pulling off his jacket and sitting in the chair next to Sam. "This is my boss Greg and my team leader Ed." Sam said smiling evilly at his cousin.

"So Major…?" Ed started which caused Sam and Andrew to start laughing but Sam stopped as it hurt his ribs. "No. His dad's my dad's youngest brother. My uncle is a Commander in the Navy. He runs one of the bases." With that explanation he turned to his cousin. "Where's Jack anywhere?" Sam said looking at his cousin and with a cheeky grin Andrew answered. "His ship isn't in helo range until tomorrow. Then our dad has got a chopper to go and pick him up and bring him to the base and then a car will bring him here or where ever you are or is put." Andrew raised his eye brows at the last bit.

"And sadly I have been given orders not to help you escape any hospital or protection unit that has been placed for your protection…Sorry." Sam sighed; he should have guessed that his father and the rest of his uncles had given their orders.

"Why?" Ed asked folding his arms; both Braddock's looked at Ed. Both smiled at the look and then looked at each other, "And what is with the look?" He added seeing the look. This was the time Greg just sat back and watched. "Well… with the orders of not helping him, it came from the time we, which is all of us, helped Sam escape from the hospital he was in after he got injured. We went home but got a huge telling off when the all our father's turned up. Which was harder than you think, as the General's son and with the name Braddock they had put a security team in place. Guys really didn't do a good job of it coz we got in and out in five minutes and it took till the General and my dad to turn up an hour later till they found him gone." With Andrew's explanation Ed waited till he answered his second question. "And for the look…" Andrew started not sure how to finish but Sam answered. "You look too much like our fathers when we had done something that they don't approve off or pissed them off." Sam then closed his eyes, trying to hide the fact that his head felt like someone was playing an uneven tune.

Greg saw the pain in Sam's face and so did Andrew. However the concern was different, Greg was worried that his officer was in pain when Andrew knew very well and was worried about why Sam hadn't said anything. "You know when David gets here; he will hit the roof as you haven't asked for any medication." Andrew said sitting back and coping Ed's facula expression. Then Andrew saw the unasked question from Greg. "David is are cousin that is a medical doctor. He is coming from the military hospital to check on Sam's welfare and talk to his doctor. And he will hit the wall when he finds out you're not taking the meds." Andrew said crossing his arms and looking at Sam.

"You know why?" Sam growled and let himself fall back into a sleep. He didn't want to think about it so he switched himself off. "What did he mean?" Greg asked quietly watching Sam closely.

"It's a long story." Andrew said looking worried and scared for his cousin. That story was a long one, and the reason Sam hated been on painkillers.


	16. Chapter 16

Andrew, Greg and Ed watched as Sam slept, but Andrew also knew that they would want an answer to what Sam had said about not wanting pain medication. As he got up picked up his jacket and he motioned for them both to follow him out into the hall which is where they found the rest of the team. They looked at Andrew with confused and puzzled faces, them too seeing how close he looked like Sam. "Guys this is Sam's cousin Andrew." Greg explained but then his face turned puzzled. "I thought you guys were…" He started but Spike answered Greg's question before he even asked it.

"Captain Blain is briefing his team in the private waiting room. Something about classified things that were going to be mentioned so asked for me not to be there…" Spike started but then Jules finished his statement. "…then he met up with us. Security has been tightened and the blue prints have been looked at. But with all the extra cameras the military have put in every angle is covered."

Greg and Ed nodded in understanding but Andrew was left in a bit of confusion but understood that it had something to do with Sam's security. "If you want me to answer your question can we go somewhere a little bit more private?" Andrew then asked knowing what Ed was thinking about and knowing that the team would also need to know the story.

Greg nodded and all of them went into a waiting room that was closer to Sam's room, it was better that they were close to Sam but always from everyone else. As they all filed into the waiting room Andrew's phone began to ring, with one look on the screen he answered it after three rings. "Hey Stan… no he is asleep but Doctor has been saying that his is a typical Braddock and too stubborn for his own good but he gets some of it from your side….ha your just jealous that we get the girls…no I am not calling you old, old man. No Uncle Will is back at base with Uncle Ben….Ow….you heard then. Well can you call my dad as I am a little busy with things here…no he is on base he couldn't get out of that stupid meeting….yer that one… And you see why I'm a Petty Officer only, I hate dealing with that crap…yer I will see you when you get here. Bye."

As Andrew turned to face the team he saw only confusion on their faces, Sam really kept his family quiet if they didn't know him or Stan. "Stan is our cousin; well he is the older brother of David and his dad is Sam's mother's oldest brother. But we all know each other and I call them cousin too. Military family and all. He was on a training operation down South with his men. He is a Major in the Army and Uncle Ben called him when he heard about Sam. He will meet them at base to talk things over before coming here. Something about operation security, I don't know. I'm Navy." He said shrugging his shoulders causing the team to smile but most of all Spike, he had only met Andrew for a few minutes and already liked him.

"So can you start…?" Ed asked crossing his arms. But Andrew sat in one of the chairs and finished his sentence, "…why Sam hates pain killers or any injection at all?" Ed nodded and the team followed him in sitting down, they knew that this story wasn't going to be a pretty one.

"First I think you need to know who is related to who so all of this makes sense…" He began and the team nodded. This was going to be hard.

"First start with Sam's dad's side. Well he is the oldest brother out of them all, he has three other brothers. First you have already met. Uncle Ben or Major Benjamin Braddock is the second oldest and he has one son Sean. My Auntie died of cancer when Sean was ten, so Sean followed Uncle Ben into the Army but he is mainly intelligence and doesn't go out in the field must. He likes working from a base here. Then there is Uncle Harry who given his full title is Major Harry Braddock. He is in the air force along with his sons, Tom and Willison or Will as we call him. Hates his name but that was mainly our fault for taking the mick out of him. The youngest Braddock Senior is my dad. Commander Kyle Braddock, and there is me and my younger brother Jack. We both serve in the Navy like our dad." He stopped and smiled remembering the last time that the Braddocks and the Whitehalls were under the same roof and how fun it had been.

He cleared his throat and continued. "Them there is Sam's mother's side. Of course you know Admiral Michael Whitehall is the eldest and he had three sons. All in the army but in different departments, Stan is a Major, David is trained as a military doctor and John is a commendations specialist and now trains soldiers in that. Then there is Iain Whitehall the other brother in that family but he is Air Force and a Major too. He works with Uncle Harry a lot. His two sons are both Air Force. Craig and Paul are both flight officers." After explaining the whole Braddock and Whitehall family ranks and military choses the team were shocked, so Spike asked very calmly.

"So the whole military is run by people in Sam's family?" Everyone looked at him but turned to Andrew who was smiling.

"Pretty much, most military families have a lot of them in different forces. And those who aren't, are family friends or somehow related to us. Comes in pretty handy when we were teenagers." Andrew said with a cheeky grin but before Spike could ask him Ed spoke.

"So why does Sam hate having to take drugs or injections?" Ed asked wiping the grin off Andrew's face.

"Well, it happened when he was a POW…."

_Flashback:_

_"Andrew…Andrew" He heard his name being called and turned to see his brother running towards him. Jack looked a mixture of happiness and pain at the same time but something about the young man had changed. He was smiling, it wasn't a full smile but it was good enough. He hadn't done that since they had found out from their father that their cousin had gone missing and was believed to be a Prison of War. That meeting of the family was the hardest; Tom who was the eldest out of all of them punched a hole in the wall before storming out of the room, closely followed by their Uncle Harry. Worried about who much damage his son had caused himself. _

_Tom, Sean and Sam were the oldest out of all of them, Tom reacted in violence. He was the hot head of the family but Sean was the quieter one. Being an only child had helped with that. He just sat there and asked his father if they knew anything about who took Sam or any news about their whereabouts. For Six months their father's had given little to them about what was going on. Luckily Sean, Tom, and Willison were task in helping with the search. Sadly with Andrew and Jack in the Navy there were little for them to do but they had met up with Sam's other cousin who were. Luckily with the connections that the Braddock family had was bigger with the Whitehalls'. The two biggest most powerful military families in Canada were a force not matched with. _

_As Jack almost ran into Andrew, he waited till his brother had caught his breath and then demanded to know what the hell was wrong with him. _

_"They found him." He said trying to force more air into his lungs. _

_"Who?" Andrew asked not sure what his brother meant._

_"They found Sam." Those words stuck with Andrew and he looked every inch of his brother's face seeing if Jack was ill or joking. _

_"How?" He whispered out, shock had taken over his body. _

_He found his brother smiling and he again had the sparkle back in his eyes. "He called them in." Jack said holding his brother's arm, worried he might have caused him a heart attack. Andrew was glad that Sam was alive but confused what Jack meant by 'he called them in' and the confusion was easily read on his face for his brother to answer his unspoken question. "He escaped and got hold of a phone. He called the ops room number and told them his location. He and his spotter got picked up and are both on a flight home. Dad's on his way to pick us up." Jack couldn't contain his happiness that their cousin was safe but Andrew couldn't start to understand what Sam had gone through, nor would he try too. _

_As soon as they arrived at the base hospital they found the rest of the family there, all expect Uncle Will which they guest was speaking to the doctors, but also David was missing. But that was understandable. David Whitehall was one of the best surgeons in the hospital and he wouldn't care about braking rules that stopped them treating family members. David would do anything to save his cousin. _

_As they waited for an hour, David turned up. He had a clearly forming black eye and a bruise forming on his jaw. Something had happened. Stanley quickly got up and made his brother look at him, but he only saw a broken man. At that time all their fathers and Uncles left the room so David could tell them alone. _

_"Who…?" Stanley started but then froze, "…Sam did that, didn't he?" The whole room froze, and then David tried his best not to break down as he informed his brother, cousins and Sam's cousins who he treated like his own. They listened. They were shocked, angry, annoyed, horrified and scared when the story was planned out for them._

_Sam had been tortures and he had horrible injures to show for it. The whip scars across his back tore through his fresh and made it bleed and bruise. The knife cuts came deep or shallow, both causing him pain as the blade was slipped across his skin. Water forced into his lungs through a dirty piece of fabric causing his lungs to cry with fire as they struggled to take in any air. The electrical burns that littered his chest causing his heart pain were it was shocked over and over again. And the needles, stuck into his skin and into his nails. Red hot, as they burnt through his flesh and the drugs that they punched into his system as watched as they ate away at his stomach and other organs. Sam had been lucky to survive._

_The attack had happened when he was semi-awake and a doctor had tried to give him something for the pain. As he was not fully awake he thought he was back there and had gone into full combat mode, luckily for the other doctor David had been able to bring Sam round to look at him as another gave him a strong drug to knock him out so they could start to repair the damage. _

_End of Flashback_

The team sat in silence, a mixture of shock, worry and surprise that Sam had survived and had come back stronger.

"You see, the drugs that they had him on dulled the pain but also were killing him at the same time. They were normal pain killers, and is the reason he hates been forced to take them. It takes him back there." Andrew said glad he had finished the story without breaking into tears like he had done before.

But then a man walked into the room, he was a tall main with sandy blonde hair and a deep sun tan, "Well look who it is?" Andrew said standing up and pulling the man into a hug. Unlike Andrew he wasn't in uniform, "When did you get back?" Andrew asked the strangler.

"Good to see you too Andrew. I got back yesterday and crashed at my girlfriend's place. When I woke up I had twenty miss calls my dad with ten voicemails from him telling me to get in touch. Then when I finally called he told me what happened and I got a helo here, I had also been told your sorry arse would be here so I thought better not to leave you here alone too long," When the man finished he pulled Andrew into another hug.

"How is he anyways?" The man asked and then for the first time noticed the others in the room, he had seen that face before and in his families' faces too.

"He is in pain and wouldn't take anything; I had to explain to his team why?" Andrew said feeling his voice break a little. The stranger nodded and then moved into full view of the team. "I'm Master Corporal Sean Braddock, and don't worry about Sam. He fought back from the hell those people had put him through and well he wouldn't let them win then nor will he let them win here. He just is as stubborn as we all are.'

Then team nodded, "I'm Greg, this is Ed, Wordy, Jules, Lou and Spike." Sean nodded to each member as Greg pointed them out. Then Sean looked down at his watch. "We had about an hour till all peace ends." He said and Andrew joined him in a smile.

"What do you mean?" Wordy asked worried about Sam's safety.

"Our cousins will be here. Us all together are always magnet for trouble which we normally cause." He said giving them an evil grin and shrugging his shoulder causing the team to smile and sigh. "And that's only the Braddocks. Wait till the Whitehalls get here." Andrew then added smiling too. The team was now worried about how much trouble six Braddocks could be?


	17. Chapter 17

Soon after Andrew took Sean to Sam's room, he knew that his older cousin wouldn't be happy until he had seen his injured cousin for his own eyes and when though he knew that Andrew wouldn't lie to him, he needed to make sure for himself. That left the team alone in the waiting room still thinking over what Andrew had told them about their team member. Yes it had been Sam himself to call for a team to get them out but he had been though too much. What saddened them was the fact that Sam easily brushed off that he was a POW so quickly and that he listed what had happened to him without any emotion like it had happened to someone else. But it hadn't, Sam had been though too much.

They also all agreed that Sam had too many hidden demons and the military training that made him turn away the emotion that he felt only to stay together. Each of them felt pity for him and sorry that for such a young man, Sam had seen the darkness of the world and had been in the grips of it for so long. Andrew's emotion bled out of him; being navy he had never seen what the army had to deal with so close and only saw the after math or victims with no relation to them. Here Andrew had seen his beloved cousin tortured and then come back even stronger, that was a miracle in itself. Sam seem to surprise them more and more.

Sam was braver than they thought and the courage he must had shown taking one of his captures hostage and battling the Taliban with only his skill and his spotter with him. Yet he had done so. Spike then thought back, if Sam had caught on of the main men wouldn't have been awarded for his bravery?

"Do you think he ever got a medal?" Spike asked aloud. And the team looked at him; they were thinking the same thing. Then they all turned to Greg who wasn't listening to what had been said.

He was thinking about Sam, emotions were all mixed up in his system. He felt anger towards the men that had tortured his officer. Pity that someone as young as Sam had to deal with that. Sorrow that Sam had been so confused that he would attack his own cousin who had been tried to help him and thankful that Sam had survived and had made his way to his team. He thought back to what the Major and Dr. Redcliff had both said about the family. 'Braddock's are hard men to kill.' That had been shown; Sam was stronger than anyone he had ever seen.

"Boss?" Jules asked bring him to their questions. "Did Sam get any medals from the military?" She asked again and he found himself smiling.

"Yes, I think he has over fifteen medals and over a dozen commendations. His file is heavy redacted so I don't know much else." Greg shrugged his shoulders and the team sat in shock. Sam would be classed as a war hero by anyone but with him being Special Forces he remained a secret from the public. Greg and Ed however shared a look, and they knew that Sam would have done some things that he himself wasn't proud of.

However in Sam's hospital room Sean and Andrew entered quietly as they found Sam still asleep, his breathing evened out calmly so Sean could tell that Sam was ok. Andrew sat back in the seat that he was sat before and Sean took the other seat before sighing and looking at his younger cousin. Sam was the three oldest cousin of the family and all three of them were very protected of each other. Seeing his cousin like this made Sean feel like he had failed Sam in some way, however mentally kicking himself that he knew he could have seen this coming and couldn't have stopped it.

They sat their quietly thinking but then Andrew spoke, "So who's your new girlfriend? I know you ended it with Sophia almost five years ago?" Sean just looked up at Andrew and gave him a dangerous glare but then sighed; maybe he hadn't seen his cousins for that long.

"Her name is Lizzy; she is a nurse at the local hospital near the base. We have been going out for around three years, but…" Sean started but then looked down at his hands. "What?" Andrew asked looking confused at his cousin.

"When are you asking her the question?" A voice asked and both of them looked down at the bed, Andrew smiling but Sean looked a mixture of relief and worry.

"Well isn't it sleeping beauty? Couldn't find a prince so you woke up all by yourself did we?" Andrew said smiling. But Sam looked at Sean. "You didn't answer me question?" Sam said again looking at his cousin.

Sean smiled and the sighed, "How do I do it?" He asked.

Sam and Andrew shared a grin and then Sean chuckled. "Why am I asking the two bachelors of the family?"

"Hey." Andrew and Sam said together smiling.

"I will do it when the time is right." Sean then added. Sam nodded but before Andrew could say anything the door opened. Stood there was Willison walked in, still wearing his flights uniform.

"Please tell me you didn't land that helicopter on the roof?" Sam said quickly to which Willison shrugged his shoulder. "How was I meant to get him here?" He said pointing to the door. There stood in navy uniform was Jack.

"Hey bro." Andrew said but Jack ran and pulled Sam into a bone crushing hug.

"Hey easy on him Jack don't think he can break any more bones without killing him." Sean said with a grin but Jack pulled away from Sam but he held his cousin before letting him go.

"Sean that isn't nice." He said laying back down, looking at his cousin silently telling him not to be nasty to him. Sean just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at Jack. "So how are you both?" Sam asked only to get eight sets of eyes looking at him.

"No offense Sam but you are the one that looks like crap and has been kicked to a bloody mess and you're asking us if we are alright?" Willison said but his tone was getting dangerous.

Sam just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at him, Willison gave a great sighed and then sat on the end of Sam's bed. "I don't like getting these calls Sam. You got to stop this." Willison said looking at his hands before looking at Sam.

Sam smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Can't promise anything. You know that. I hate people that make promises they can't keep." Willison nodded and then smiled. "You heard from Tom?" He asked and Sam smiled. "He is on his way." He answered. They needed to be together, all of them.

However unknown to them in the waiting room the team waited for any report or message that the JTF2 team was ready for them. As the door opened they thought that the meeting was over however instead of Captain Blain or one of his men there was a man and a women that entered the room. The man was the double of Sam, more than Andrew or Sean but he stood not in an army or a navy uniform. It was a mixture of a flight suit and civilian clothes and his hair was cut a little shorter than Sam's. The woman was brunette, slim frame and wore normal clothes. They could tell that she wasn't military at all.

"You must be Sam's police team?" The man asked and as Greg nodded he held out his hand. "Sergeant Thomas Braddock Canadian Air Force." He said shaking Greg's hand, Greg then introduced each member of the team.

"All the others are already with Sam." Greg said thinking that he would want to see his cousin. But Tom nodded. "I know but I had personal experience dealing with that lot. I give them a few minutes before going in. It's for the better." He said with a smile. "This is my wife Emma." He said pulling his wife close before taking a seat, however as soon as they did, Tom's phone began to ring.

"I got to take this." He said leaving the room. Leaving Emma with the team.

"Have you met Sam?" Jules asked Emma who looked up and she smiled. "I met Sam long before I met Tom. Well I had to thank Sam for introducing us. I met Sam through my brother. He was in the army too and met Sam but after a few visits he turned up with Tom and Sean. My brother had lost his legs in an operation and Sam had brought his cousins to help build a ramp up to the front door." She smiled at the memory. "Sam is very good at matchmaking. And we've been together for around seven years. Married for Five." Jules nodded.

"However…" Emma said thinking.

"However what?" Wordy asked. Is something was wrong then why marry them.

Emma smiled and looked to see Tom still on the phone outside the door. "When you marry one Braddock, you marry them all." The team laughed as Tom came back into the room.

"I am going to see Sam. You want to come?" He asked Emma, she smiled but shook her head.

"Just make sure they behave themselves. We are in public." She said with a grin. Tom smiled and kissed her on the top of the head before leaving the room.

"What did you mean?" Spike asked with a grin.

Emma smiled back, "Last time they were left alone, they ended up play fighting but when you have a bunch of military guys you can see how their play fighting looks like they are trying to kill each other. God last time I went out with Sam's mother shopping for something for Christmas dinner and Tom's father and uncles where in meetings. We came back to find Jack, Andrew and Willison with bloody noses, Sean with a huge lump on his head and Sam stood patching Tom's eyebrow up."

The team looked shocked. "They didn't mean to hurt each other but with their training it can turn dangerous. Luckily they hadn't broken anything expect themselves." Ed broke into a smile and so did Wordy. Ed knew that Sam was well trained for the Special Forces but then he looked at Wordy. Wordy saw the confused look on Ed's face so he explained.

"Troy told me that Sam trained with Team Four and when they were play fighting Sam could disarm all of them without badly hurting them or throwing a punch." Emma smiled at that, Sam had a new family.

Inside Sam's hospital room the taunts and insults stopped when Tom walked into the room. Sam smiled broadly at his older cousin before being pulled in a strong hug. He liked all of his cousins but he got on better with Tom more than the others in the room. "Want me to come back?" They heard from the door way, Tom pulled away and they all saw David stood leaning against the door frame.

"Hey Doc." Sean said grinning at the man in the door way but before David got a chance to say anything. "Dr. Whitehall, I can run you through everything in my office." It was Dr. Redcliff and the two men left them.

"You're in trouble now." Andrew sang which earned him a clap from his brother.

"Thanks Jack." Sam said smiling at his younger cousin, however as much as he wanted to stay awake and talk to his cousins who were more like brothers to him he was getting tired.

"Don't fight it Sam. You need to sleep then go to sleep." Tom said and as he pulled his fingers through Sam's hair, Sam fell asleep.

"We got work tomorrow." Tom said to the others who all gave him confused looks.

The team was getting ready to leave, they had been briefed by Captain Blain and he had told them to go home as Sam was going to be released soon, now with Dr Whitehall taking over his care he could go home. And as they walked past Sam's room they were greeted to all five Braddock's stood outside with smiled on their faces.

"You guys free tomorrow?" Sean said to the team who nodded. Then Sean handed them an addresses, met us there tomorrow and bring as much help as you can. I know Tom is bringing Emma.

"What?" Jules asked. But all Sean did was smile and followed his cousins away from them. They were hiding something.


	18. Chapter 18

The team pulled up at to the addresses that Sean had gave them, they found themselves looking at a modern looking house that was newly built and painted in a light cream colour. The front door was fully open lead on to some stairs with the garage stood next to the door and found it like the front door open. Sat inside it was a brand new land rover with a long driveway.

As they got out of Wordy's people carrier and Ed's car they saw a big white van parked on the drive way and two topless guys pulling another four boxes out of it. They saw who they were as they got closer, it was Sean and Tom. However before they could speak a voice made them look at the open door, Emma smiled at them and moved towards them. "Hey guys. I have coffee on if you want some." She was dressed in a light blue shirt and some white shorts. When from the Braddocks they could see they were all either topless or with a thin t-shirt on with shorts, with the sun out the heat outside was strong.

Sophie and Shelly made their introductions to Emma before another topless Braddock walked up to them. "Hey you guys made it." Jack said and smiled at them. Jules found that on his left arm was a tattoo of a Navy ship crashing through the waves; the tattoo was so detailed that she could see every detail of the ship and waves along with the rope border.

"Whose place is this?" Spike asked pointing at the house impressed that the building looked very expensive and whoever owned it must have some money. Jack smiled and so did Emma before he answered. "It's Sam's new place which he has no idea about." The teams jaw drops, not one of them could understand how Sam could afford the house. Spike himself couldn't guess how much money Sam had to afford this house.

"How can Sam afford this place?" Lou asked, asking the question that all of them wanted to know.

At that question Tom walked over and pulled Emma close to him. "Sam use to live on base when he was with JTF2, and well that place he had didn't cost that much with only three main rooms, a kitchen with a living room added together, his bedroom and the bathroom so his money added up and well there is the family fund we get every month so Sam has a bit of money."

"What is the family fund?" Wordy asked looking confused and looking at Shelly who also looked confused.

All three of them smiled and then Tom explained. "Well our family comes from old money and well our grandfather made even more so he set up the family fund. A fund that gives us some money very month but we had a limit to it and if we need more we need to ask Uncle Will as he holds the fund." The team nodded and then Tom pulled Jack into a head block. "Jack here has only had the fund for about six years." Jack got himself free but before they could start play fighting Sean shouted to them.

"Hey are you going to help or are you going to stand there when we are left doing the heavy lifting?" Andrew and Willison laughed but then stood watching. So they moved towards the van.

"What do you need us to do?" Ed asked and then they set to work.

Working in different teams they worked on cleaning and setting up Sam's new home. Ed and Sean worked in the all the rooms by putting up shelves in each other the rooms and helped make sure that they were even. Willison, Andrew and Wordy worked on putting together putting the flat packs together in the living room and the bed rooms like his side tables as the book case had been built into the wall in a deep oak wood in the study. Jules, Sophie, Shelly and Emma worked on putting this away like Sam's books, clothes and photographs in each room; they left the military things for Sam's study and didn't look at what was inside those boxes. Lou and Spike worked on wiring all the electrical like the television, phone and computer. Jack worked on putting the beds together in the three bedrooms of the house and then handing them over to the girls to make them. Grey and Tom worked on putting his military objects in their places in the study which had been finished with an oak desk and chair with a hand built book case already built into the wall and all the wood matched.

Greg helped by putting Sam's military dress uniforms in the wardrobes off close to the door, so they were away from his normal clothing. He then added his police officers dress uniform into it too so that they were together. Placing three boxes on one of the shelves he looked inside one to find it full of shell casing, he then looked in the other two to find them full of the same as the first. Did Sam keep these to remember how many people he had killed? Tom had his back to him placing something into a safe that was set behind one of the doors to the bookshelf. Greg quickly placed them on the shelves next to each other and worked on putting Sam's military photographs.

Greg then stopped a photograph that had been framed with a brass label on the bottom of it. It read 'Souls of JFT2 Operation Red Dawn.' As Greg looked up he found Tom looking at the photo too, "That was the operation when he got captured." Pain was written all over his face. "He lost three mates that day." Tom then added before moving away to hand up Sam's medal glass display case. Greg looked back at the photograph at the faces of the team and wondered which ones out of the team didn't make it back home or which member of the team faced the same as Sam did.

After they were finished Sam's new place looked amazing, with all Sam's personal things made the new house more of a home. His leather sofa looked comfortable so most of the team sat themselves down drinking fresh coffee. "We did good." Ed said looking around Sam's new home and then remembered that Sam didn't live too far away from the Barn so he could get into work and shouldn't be late. They all nodded and muttered a 'yes' but Jack didn't say anything. He was laid on the floor on the other side so he was hidden from view.

The Braddock cousins looked at each other and then Andrew spoke, "Jack, what's up Bro?" The team turned to look where Jack was laid. But Jack didn't speak, Andrew was about to get up when Tom stopped him. He looked confused at why Tom would stop him as they all knew that stopping one of the cousins from getting to another was dangerous in itself but the look on Tom's face made Andrew sit back down.

Ed and Greg both looked at each other before turning to look at Tom who was sat on his phone; he then dialled a number and put the phone to his ear.

"Hey David….yer we are done on our end it's up to you now…well we are going to order pizza…yes we have coffee…and no he will kill you if you try to force him to drink that crap. We both know he hates it…don't care if you are now his doctor he will kill us…and why would I do that?...sorry mate you're on your own there… Yer see you in half an hour." And with that he put the phone down. And looking in Jack's direction he was laid.

"Sam and David will be here in half an hour. Better order those pizzas." Tom said and Jack shot up and got the phone, shaking their heads the team and the Braddock cousins and laughed. Things were getting back to normal.


	19. Chapter 19

With the pizzas on the table still too hot to eat the team waited for David to come with Sam with his cousins. They learnt more about the Braddock than they thought they would when they looked back in how they treated Sam in the beginning. Ed and Greg like the way that Tom seem to be the one that the other's bounded off, he was the leader of them and the one that they went to for help or when they couldn't control their emotions and were about to kick out.

Spike liked Jack most of all due to them both being tec officers, they got on too well that some like Sean and Wordy called it dangerous as they both over did everything. Sean had commented that in the short amount of time they were together if left alone they would cause serious damage.

However Greg feared how Sam would act when Sam got here, he didn't think that he would like it if his team and family moved his stuff into a new place with his money and he asked that to Tom when they had gone outside to meet Sam and David with the others inside. However Tom softly smiled and turned to Greg, "Truth is that Sam already owned this place, his dad got it for him when he first left the military but for Sam living so alone could have made him worse so Uncle Will put him into the half-way house."

"Half-way house? Why?" Greg asked looking a little confused; he thought it was a normal apartment block.

Tom sadly smiled. "Yer it is a god sent for those who wanted out and not ready to move away from the military life. Well with the shooting incident that happened we were worried that if Sam lost everything too quickly we would lose him. So Uncle Will contacted his cousin who contacted his son who runs the place to make sure he got a spot. But Sam couldn't really say anything about the house as it was already paid for by our grandfather…god he is retiring soon." Tom said hitting himself in the head. "Shame we will lose a good threat, well Sean will." Tom said smiling.

"Why?" Greg asking, Sean's father was a Major wouldn't that be a threat enough.

"Don't you know who our Grandfather is?" Tom asked and then seeing the blank face on Greg he sighed. "That kid does like to keep his secrets but I thought that you would know who the Commander-in-chief was." Tom said and then they saw a black SVU drive up the drive but Greg asked before the car got there. "Your grandfather is the Commander-in-chief of the Canadian Army?"

Tom nodded as the car pulled up and he moved to open the passenger door. As he did so another man got out. He was in civilian clothes like the other and then took out a two black bags from the back seat, Greg went to help and the man held out his hand. "Greg Parker."

The man nodded and shook his hand, "David Whitehall, I guess you know our family relations?" Greg nodded and the two men walked out the side to find Tom and Sam stood talking quickly and then looking back at the house. However seeing Greg he sighed and gave his cousin a harsh look.

"Sam how are you feeling?" Greg asked to make Sam look at him. Sam's face was blank with no emotions showing. He always slipped back into the military look when he didn't know how to feel or his emotion was high.

"I'm fine boss. Just hungry and tired." Sam answered but Greg could tell that Sam was hiding something.

"Good to hear cuz, because we have your two favourite things, pizza and fresh coffee." Tom said as the four of them started to move towards the house.

"Did you do as I asked?" David asked as they did so. But Tom stopped; Sam and Greg took two more steps before turning to look at Tom and David. "I will take that as a no then."

"What are you two…?" Sam started but then looked dangerously at David and Tom. "…You better not of?"

Greg didn't know what was going on but he quickly put the bags down in case he needed to stop Sam from hurting himself or his cousins.

"Come on Sam, I wouldn't do that to you would I?" Tom said and it was then that Sam crossed his arms.

"You worked with him last time." Sam growled however there was something in Sam's body language that told Greg that he wasn't serious.

"Yer but if I remember you got your own back on us because I had to live with you on it and that was a nightmare." Tom said throwing his arms into the air.

"What are you guys on about already? The pizza is getting cold." A voice from behind made them all turn to see Sean and Ed stood in the door way.

"David wants Sam on decaf and we all know what a crime that is." Tom said, at that Greg and Ed smiled but Sean and Tom looked at Sam to David like they didn't know how this was going to play out. Sam just looked at David. Ed and Sean moved next to Greg to watch the event better and they could hear the others watching too.

"Sam, you know what the doctor said and I say the same." David said again but Sam remained the same stand, with his arms crossed he let out a sigh. "Still not happening." And with that Sam turned to see the full team and his cousins there.

"All you did this?" Sam said pointing at the house, as they nodded Spike pulled Sam into a hug and then pulled apart. "Why didn't you tell me you had a 50 inch T.v?" He almost looked hurt. "We could have watched the game on it?" Nearly all of them burst out laughing but Sam just shook his head. "It is ever that or parts for Babycakes? Can't do both?"

Tom and David moved towards the others but David stood a little closer to Sam as they smiled and laughed at Spike's face. "Fine. Babycakes' comes first." Sam then walked into his new home and found Sophie, Shelly and Emma stood in the kitchen.

"Please tell me that they didn't make you do all the heavy lifting?" Sam asked the three girls who smiled and Emma pulled Sam into a strong hug, however she was very careful about not injuring him. Sam hugged her back and as the pulled apart, he nodded to Sophie and Shelly who smiled at them.

"Here" Lou said passing Sam one of the smaller pizza boxes and Sam took it and headed for the sofa. As he sat down next to Jack, as Andrew and Willison started to pass drinks around the team. David then handed Sam a glass of water and handed him a bottle of pills. Sam sighed but popped two of the pills into his mouth.

"What are they for?" Jules asked as she sat down with a bottle of beer into her hand and a slice of pizza in her hand.

Sam was about to answer however he had a huge mouth full of pizza and he normally let David answer the medical questions, it was just easier.

"As I have took Sam out of hospital too early there is a chance he could get an injection so he needs to take the antibiotics every few hours to keep it at bay and strong painkillers." As David explained Greg saw how David seem to have some worry about Sam. He couldn't tell if it was because of Sam been injured and his doctor skills are coming through or something else.

The team watched as Sam's cousins positioned themselves around Sam in case they were needed. Greg also could see that they followed suit. Sam was sat on the sofa with Jack, Spike, Lou and Emma. Sean sat on one of the leather chairs and Wordy with Shelly on his knee took the other. Willison sat on the foot close to Sam with Jules and Andrew. Sophie was sat on Ed's knee as they sat on the other leather chair with Greg.

Greg then saw David motion for Tom to follow him when the others were watching a film. Greg and Ed both followed as Tom motioned to them to come too. They moved into the study, which Ed when asked. "Couldn't we talk in the hall?"

Tom then asked the question with "Sadly Sam's hearing is better than most, he can cut noises out to hear other things." David nodded agreeing with Tom.

"So what is going on?" Greg asked to the two men.

"I am going to stay with Sam, as his new doctor I need to keep an eye on him. But I saw outside that Sam respected both of you, I saw what you saw Greg when Sam heard both of you behind him he relaxed, maybe only a little but he did. And it would help if you guys can come round and see him as he heals." David said trying not to show his worry for his cousin.

Ed answered before Greg could. "He is one of our team, we are not leaving him." Those words seem threatening but both Tom and David knew how a team is like a family.

"We know that, it is just Sam is different when he is injured. He knows he is weaker and he hates people pointing that out. He can become worse if people act differently around him. That and the fact that he is on strong painkillers he will try to do things like normal and his body can't handle that. And when he is in pain, he is the most dangerous. Basically I am telling you that getting him out of hospital and dealing with him in there is easier than dealing with him here." Tom said looking serious. "It was bad enough after he got back after he got captured. It was the nightmares that were the worse." Tom then added, pain was plainly on his face.

"What can we do to help?" Greg asked Tom and David. At that Tom and David looked at each other, and then David spoke.

"Don't stop him doing things because of his injures but use other opinions like you were doing it. Don't pity him as he hates it and will kick off. If you find him having a nightmare whatever you do, do not touch him! I know Andrew told you about him hurting me after he got home after been captured but he can break your neck in a second if you touch him when he has one as he wouldn't fully awake. When I was treating him before a nurse stupidly grabbed Sam's arm when he was having a nightmare and that nurse ended up with a broken arm, fractured shoulder and a good telling off from me. I had told everyone to come and get me if he was in trouble and he didn't. Of course Sam felt horrible about hurting him. Also never question him skills as when he is injured he tries to prove himself to everyone."

Ed and Greg nodded, Ed knew that with Sam's training would kick in more strongly when he is injured. But the warning of that Sam could kick out scared Greg. As the moved back into the room they found Sam and Sean not in the room. "Where?" Tom asked Andrew who was sat on the end of the sofa.

"Bedroom." Greg watched as Tom and David moved towards Sam's bedroom. It was then that Sophie moved over to Ed. "Me and Shelly are going to go, Clark and the girls will be home from school soon and we needed to be there."

Wordy nodded and then turned to Spike, Lou and Jules. "You guys want to come?" Shelly had already gone to the car, Lou and Jules nodded but Spike didn't look up. "Spike can stay with us." Ed then told Wordy, something had clearly upset him and unlike the others couldn't hide it that well. Wordy nodded and as they said their goodbyes and left leaving only Greg, Ed, Spike, the Braddocks and David. However with three of them with Sam, Greg and Ed sat near and next to Spike. Andrew was sat next to his brother and Willison moved to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"What happened?" Greg softly asked Spike but he knew Jack and Andrew could hear them.

"I don't know, Sam was fine and then he left. Sean followed straight after." Spike said, Ed could see that Spike was both confused and worried about Sam. However he understood that Sam wouldn't show if he was upset or if he was in pain. If it had become bad, Ed guessed that Sam would leave to be alone to deal with it himself. It was what he would do; Ed noticed that Sam wasn't much different to himself.

"Sam will be alright Spike. He is just dealing with the pain and his injures." Greg said calming the young man. Jack was also listening and Ed saw him relax a little too. However Andrew got up and moved towards Willison. Ed could feel the worry and anger roll off the young naval officer. Something had happened that the team hadn't noticed or something that the Braddocks had seen before. And that worried him.

Willison brought over four cups of coffee to them and sat down on the edge of the sofa. "Here, looks like you guys need some." Greg nodded a thanks before handing Spike one of the cups. Suddenly Andrew choked on the coffee he was drinking.

"Will I should kill you!" He shouted which we was replied by Jack and Willison bursting out laughing. Jack was laughing so much that he nearly feel off the sofa if it hadn't been for Spike grabbing hold of him. "What's so funny?" Spike asked looking between Willison who had got a hold of himself and Andrew.

"The idiot put salt in my coffee." Willison smiled at the now grinning police officers.

"It always you to get rid of that anger of yours, remember I can read you as good as Tom. You ever kick off at someone or punch a hole in the wall and since we just finished this place." Willison's tone was a mixture of seriousness and humour. However before anyone could say anything, they heard hush voices coming from upstairs.

However as the conversation happened, Sean and David were walking down stairs and as they got there. They sadly only caught the end of it. "We just got to keep an eye on him, with JTF2 outside I want Sam left alone so he can sleep but someone will have to be with him in case he remembers something else about what happened." That was David.

Then Sean replied. "Should we tell the others?"

They both fell silent as they entered the room; Ed got up and asked the question that was on all their minds. "Tell us what?"


	20. Chapter 20

David and Sean both fell silent at Ed's question. However they were soon ganged up on by the others with stern looks with made Sean explain what they were talking about only a moment before.

"Something jogged Sam's memory about the attack, it didn't make sense to me or David but Tom got all serious and called the General. The information is being passed through the channel but…" Sean finished unable to say what he was thinking as he couldn't work out how everything was put together even now. David sighed and then continued Sean's words knowing what to say.

"He said that he saw the man's face but only for a second and he thought that he had seen him before." David's words shocked the others in the room. Ed thought back to when he spoke to Sam and he had said that he never got the chance to see him. "I thought he didn't see the man that attacked him?" Ed asked now very confused about the whole event.

David sighed and then took a seat on the sofa as they moved back into the living room; Greg could see how tired David was but also the worry that David was feeling towards Sam's wellbeing. That was the only time that he saw any emotion on Sam's face, when he was too tired to hide them. "What you need to understand is that Sam is not a normal person. So his mind works differently to ours, with all of his training his mind remembers things that normal people wouldn't. But his mind is affected more strongly after an injury works as it works slower so the images don't cause the body to go into shock. I don't know what cause the memory to come to light but it did and caused some stress to him as he hates been able to remember things. Sadly with the injures to his body and the stress that of his mind has tired him out too much, he is asleep and Tom will stay with him in case of any nightmare."

Ed thought that maybe Sam was more complicated than he first thought. Then Spike spoke, "Can we stay too?" Greg and Ed could tell that Spike was really worried about Sam. For some reason Spike had found the sniper interesting but he like the others took how Sam came to the team. He now however was really worried about his friend.

Sean smiled at Spike; he had started to like the young tec. Jack also had become good friends with him. But David sighed sadly, "I know you care about him but I don't think you know how to handle him when he has a nightmare. He is dangerous. You see him as a friend and yes we are his family but we have the training to deal with him. You don't."

Spike looked at the floor; he unlike the others had seen Sam train with Team Four. Sam's training was some of the best in the military. But then he thought that if he believed the stories that Sam's nightmares made him believe that he was still there in battle he knew that he couldn't protect himself from his injured friend.

"Ok. We will come back tomorrow. If you need anything let us know." Greg said knowing that maybe they were right however Ed handed over his keys to Greg.

"I'm staying Greg." Ed said looking at his boss and then towards Sean who was stood looking confused. So he explained. "I was in the military for a few years. I will be able to handle him and with me giving him orders to calm down if anything happens might help." Before Greg or David could argue with him Jack spoke up.

"Remember when Sam had a nightmare before and it took Uncle Will giving him an order to stand down to make him come round. Since he is police now, Ed might get through to him better than we do." Andrew quickly agreed with his brother and so did Willison.

David knew that Ed might be right but he sadly didn't know Ed very well but maybe he needed too to trust him with Sam. So he nodded to it. As Greg and Spike left to go home Ed took the time to call Sophie and let her know that he was staying with Sam, and Sophie had replied in the way he knew she would 'if you needed anything let me know' the same words that Greg had used and then she had said that 'I will bring some breakfast tomorrow morning for you all.'

He had told the Braddocks this as David had gone to check on Sam. Andrew had thanked Ed for that and then added moving away from the others. "These guys can't cook to save their lives and unless you want to get food poisoning I would not eat anything they give you." Ed smiled and as time when on Tom had come down and ordered Andrew and Jack to take the other bedroom which was made up with two single beds.

Ed could hear the ordering tone in Tom's voice and the two men left without much of a fight. Willison and Sean had taken the other room however with only one bed Sean had got one of the camp beds and set it up on the other side to where Willison was sleeping in case anything happened and Willison stood on him.

Tom and Ed were left alone in the living room as David was with Sam. Ed sighed and then he saw a bottle of beer in front of him. Tom sat back down with a bottle in his hand.

"This isn't your fault, you do know that." Tom said looking at Ed nursing his bottle in his hands. At this Ed looked at him and sighed again and answered him.

"I looked at him because of his family and the way he was placed in our team. God that kid is too young to know how much he does. He planned tactical places in his head like it was second nature. And still I never gave him a chance to show me anything and I am the team leader in tactical plans. I just pushed him down every chance I got, hoping that he wouldn't be a problem. I thought he would be a problem as he was such a cocky bastard…"

At that Tom started laughing and Ed looked at him, confused that he was only a few seconds ago admitted to one of Sam's cousins that they hadn't treated him right and now he was laughing.

"It's true that Sam is a cocky bastard at times and I don't blame you for not wanting him because of us. God we all have had trouble getting through life with the name Braddock. Every force knows us and thinks that just because of our names we have got this far when really we have had to work double hard to get here. But I guess we do have it worse that our grandfather is the Commander-in-chief however he is leaving soon. I think he only has another week in office. But I know David has it worse for being the Admiral's son." As Tom spoke Ed felt a little better but not much.

"I know Sam had trouble in JTF2 because of his dad. And feeling unwanted isn't a new think for him but like his unit did, get to know him for who he is and then you will find that Sam is still a cocky bastard but he also cares maybe a little too much." He finished as he rubbed his eyes.

He then got up and grabbed something and then quickly past it to Ed, Ed caught it to find it was a sleeping bag. "I will have the camp bed, you can have the sofa." Ed smiled as Tom pulled and put together the camp bed. He thought that the bed might not be able to hold the military man but as Tom laid down Ed could hear the bed creak. He smiled and then taking his shoes and jacket off he climbed into the sleeping bag.

"Who is changing with David to watch Sam?" Ed asked as Tom got into his sleeping bag after turning the lights out and locking the door. Tom looked at Ed as the moonlight rolled into the room from the window.

"Willison is going after David in 2 hours and then Sean. If it is alright you're next so that would be around four in the morning? I know Andrew and Jack haven't slept since they got the news and they can't live on coffee."

Ed smiled and nodded but knew that Tom was worried about his cousins, but most of all how this was affecting them. "Do you think Sam will remember more?" Ed asked quietly looking at the ceiling. 'God Sam picked a good sofa.' Ed thought as it was very comfortable. Then he heard the camp bed creak and he then saw Tom turning to look at him.

"Sam's mind is like a hard drive. He doesn't forget things so quickly but I don't think he knows anything else. Yes the person who attacked him could have been someone he knew but personally… I don't think he will be able to remember who. All we have to do is be ready in case he does." Ed nodded at what Tom was saying but then another question came into his mind.

"What do I do if he does?" Ed then asked.

However unlike last time Ed didn't hear Tom move but instead sigh. "Don't pity him just talk to him if he doesn't wake himself order his up and remember not to touch him." Ed agreed and sooner or later sleep finally took him. Not knowing what tomorrow would bring.


	21. Chapter 21

Ed was awoken by someone shaking his left shoulder, his eyes opened suddenly but in the dull light he could make out the face of Sean. Ed quickly blinked the sleep away from his eyes and started to get up. "What time is it?" Ed asked Sean as he got up and quickly put his boots and then picked up his jacket and Sean muttered something like "Too early." Ed smiled at that as he could tell it was early.

"How is he?" Ed said quietly seeing that Tom was still dead to the world, Sean sighed and then looked at Ed. Ed might not be as good as Greg but he could see the worry in Sean's face.

"Still asleep, had a few problems during my time with him. He mutters sometimes in his sleep when a memory is playing with his mind but other than that he's fine. Thank god but I don't want him alone too long." He said passing his a bottle of water, which he took thankfully and then got up. He quickly left the room to hear Sean say something about bring him some coffee in a bit before hitting the sofa. Which he thanked Sean before he climbed the stairs to Sam's room.

As he quietly opened the door he saw the leather chair that he been put in the bedroom now was stood next to his bed with a blanket hanging off the edge of it. Ed could see how young Sam really was and the innocent side of Sam which he never saw when he was awake as Ed knew that as a soldier, showing any weakness was a way to get killed or miss selection. 'God the kid had been through too much.' Ed thought as he sat in the chair and putting his jacket on the back of it, and making sure that his phone was on silence in case Sophie called him. He didn't want to wake Sam up too early, he needed sleep.

As he poured the cool liquid into his mouth, as the cool liquid hit the top of his mouth he remembered one of the called that had shown how well trained Sam was but he had never give Sam any 'well done' or 'nice work' and the water hitting his mouth made him thick back to the call that had showed what Sam could do.

_Flashback_

_They had gotten a hot call about a gun man with a hostage. As Ed and Sam took a sniper point on one of the buildings with a clear shot of the man and they took it in turns to as the spotter. However they may have been on the roof only thirty minutes but it was the hottest day of the year and in full kit they were been cooked in the sun. _

_Ed had been spotter when he felt that his mouth had become dry so he filled his mouth of the cold liquid that he had brought up with him; it surprised him that Sam hadn't done the same. Being ex-military and a former member of JTF2 he would have thought that he would know how dangerous it was to overheat. Maybe the kid was just being cocky and Ed knew it was going to back fire on him. _

_So instead of having to deal with an overheated officer he offered the bottle to him. "Drink Sam, you need it." _

_Sam didn't say anything at first as he looked through the scope as Greg tried to get the gun man to put down the weapon and it didn't look like it was going well but he knew that he had to answered Ed before he had a go at him. "I have lasted longer in worse heat Ed. I am good." _

_Ed had growled and muttered about something about being stubborn as Ed hated that his new rookie was better trained and with a family like the Braddocks he had to have connections. Luckily Greg had been listening to their conversation. "Sam…" He had started, having the right mind to order Sam to drink something as he was worried about his rookie trying to be impress them and might be risking his life. If so he was going to have a word with him later. _

_"__Boss, I am good. During an op overseas I was at my perch for over five hours in worse heat than this without water. I am good but this guy is not calming down. He is getting worse boss, he is touching that trigger too much and his hand is being to twitch." _

_End of Flashback_

Ed had watched as Sam as instead of taking the kill shot he had shot the man through the arm making the man drop the gun and fall to the ground screaming, but Sam's actions had saved the man from himself. They had gone back to the truck but no one had said well down to Sam expect Wordy who had pattered his back before joining up with the others. He had thought that maybe he should have asked Sam about his training but he was angry at him. Even then.

Ed was brought out of this thought by a voice.

"What are you still doing here?" Ed looked down to see Sam looking at him, his eyes haunted but that quickly was hidden.

"Nightmare?" Ed asked looking at Sam who now didn't make eye contact. "I get them too you know." Ed then said. This time Sam looked at him confused. Ed smiled at that, did Sam think him better than himself because he didn't show it? "Every kill I make I get the same one. My first kill as a sniper in the SRU." Ed sighed, he hadn't told anyone this. Not even Greg. Because he stilled blamed himself for it even today.

"It was a father of two how had lost everything, and he blamed his ex-wife's new husband so he held him at gun point and then he threatened the man Greg called Scorpio. And I took the shot. But what gave me the nightmares were the kids' faces as they saw their father fall to the ground, dead. As SIU took me I could hear them scream for their daddy." Ed stopped trying not to break down. But what really stopped him was Sam speaking.

"Mine change from all my kills to finding Matt's body. Or when I was captured or…" Sam stopped and looked up at his ceiling. For some reason he was telling Ed thing that he had never told anyone not even Blain who he trusted with his life.

"Or what Sam?" Ed asked knowing very well that Sam might not want to answer it but giving him the chance to do so if he wanted too.

"It was an op, were I shattered my skull…" Sam started but stopped as the memory still haunted him.

"What happened Sammo?" Ed now asked worried that Sam had hid this emotion for too long.

"What do you know already?" Sam asked knowing that Ed must have known something as the doc had told him that he had mentioned it.

"Only what injures you got, you got a head injury in the military that shattered your skull and then after that your heart stopped leaving your brain with oxygen for ten minutes. God you should have been brain dead but somehow you survived and then three months later you're asking to go back. No offence Sam but do you have a death wish?" Ed asked horrified about what had happened to Sam but also amazed that Sam had survived at all.

Sam chuckled and smiled at Ed shrugging his shoulders. Ed shock his head at him liking about all the times Sam had risked his life saving someone else. But then Sam's face turned blank, the grin fell as quickly as it came.

"We were taking a compound where we had reports that the Taliban were using to use children that they had kidnapped and turned them into suicide bombers…" Sam looked out of the window, not looking at Ed.

"Sammo, you don't have to tell me if you don't want too." Ed could see that this operation had changed Sam and Ed knew that it would have changed him too. But then Sam shook his head. Ed could tell that this story needed to be told as it was slowly destroying Sam.

"When we got there it was strange, not as many guards as we thought there would be. We found the children quick enough but…" Sam stopped and sat up rubbing his face, Ed could see the bandage that was wrapped around Sam's chest. He didn't think that sitting up like this wasn't helping his ribs heal.

"But what Sam?" Ed asked handing Sam his bottle of water.

Sam looked at it before taking it and pouring some of the liquid into his mouth. He sighed before swallowing the liquid that he had used rehydrates his mouth and throat.

"They use to drug or brain wash them into killing as many soldiers as they could and when we raided they were all set. To the others they looked like kids but then I saw that they had no marks from the beatings, no sign of torture or drug use. We knew that they did that to them but those kids looked healthy enough. And then I remembered what a friend had told me about one of the bombings that a kid caused. Witnesses told them that the kid looked healthy maybe too healthy. And I just put it together. We were too late."

Sam said with a dull voice and Ed knew that Sam wasn't telling him the whole story. He could tell that this part of the story was the one that had changed Sam in some way. Had the children tried to blow them up?

"Did they try too…?" Ed started but cut across by Sam speaking.

"Did they try to kill us?" Sam said coldly and Ed nodded; now he could feel the soldier tone coming from Sam. He was closing his emotion.

"Yer they did. We have a code word which we used in case of a trap and we doing want to let on that we know so I used it. Blain put it together and ordered everyone out. That was when they started to stand up, we warned them. I did what I needed to do. As we tried to get out they blow themselves up." The Sam smiled and shook his head. "I didn't get out and got smashed against the wall as the ceiling collapsed in on me. Something heavy cracked my helmet and that made my skull shatter. They dug me out and out airlifted to base, that was when I stopped breathing and my heart stopped. The explosion had caused my aorta to split which sent my heart into shock. They thought I was brain dead when they sent me home. When I woke up the docs told me what happened but soon I got bored of being in hospital and wanted out so discharged myself into David's care and three months after I wanted back. But Blain set me only as intelligence instead of being back in the field. Something about not wanting to lose me like that again."

Ed looked shocked at Sam; he had admitted to killing children and had suffered because of it. "You know you had no chose but to shoot, you know that." Ed finally said and Sam looked at him with a ghost smile.

"I know. Red looked what remained of the bombs and found that they were all set to go off at ones. But it don't matter they were going to kill soldiers and at least I was the only one injured. Well that isn't true, Blade got a bit of shrapnel to the arm but he was fine after a couple of stitches." Sam said and then quickly took another mouth full of water.

"Do you blame yourself?" Ed then asked, looking at his hands. He blamed himself sometimes for having to shot young people who had a life a head of them then cut short because of him.

He looked back up at Sam who looked at him and he shook his head. "They put themselves there Ed, doesn't matter how. They were going to kill someone like our job now. Someone had put themselves there. You don't have to feel guilty because you didn't tell them to do it or put the gun in their hand."

Ed looked at Sam confused at what Sam meant. "I know you blame yourself every time you take a shot. Like the one that I saw before I joined. I know a man who blames himself when I see one."

Ed sighed and then looked back at his hands. "I am sorry about how we treated you before Sam."

Sam smiled and then pulled of the covers, "I need a shower."

"Sam I don't think…?" Ed started as Sam stood up and moved towards the bathroom.

"Ed, I am good. If I need help I will let you know." Sam said as he started to take off the bandages.

"Sam." Ed said in his tone that he normally used on calls and Sam looked at him. "Let's get David to do that so sit down." Sam sighed and sat down on the bed however a second after the door opened to find Sean coming in with two cups of coffee having heard the last part of their talk about Sam wanting a shower.

"Drink that quick, and I wake David up to take those off. And I didn't give you it." He said handing a cup to Sam and one to Ed before looking at his watch and smiling at Sam. "You have two minutes." Before closing the door, Ed watched in amazement as he watched Sam drown the hot drink into his mouth.

"Show off." Ed muttered and smiled watching Sam do that and then hiding the cup under the bed as David opened the door. Sam was healing. Well mentally he was.


	22. Chapter 22

When Sam got out of the shower after only six minutes he quickly changed into some tracksuit bottoms and one of his military t-shirts but not before David had re-wrapped his chest and checked on his leg. Sean had muttered to Ed that the water would have caused Sam pain. Sam had been walking with a limp after cracking his femur however David had mentioned that Sam's femur had only cracked a few centimetres and the doctors' didn't want to operate, but did order that he wore a splint. Which came off as soon as they were out of the hospital car park. As Ed and Sean helped Sam down the stairs they found Tom awake and looking at his cup of coffee and he was lost in thought as they came into the room. Sam smiled at Sean who had the same grin, Ed worried that they were up to something.

"You know looking at it isn't going to make it into something else?" Sam said smiling at Tom who looked up at Sam's voice and stuck his tongue out and moving away from the sofa so Sam could lie across it. He quickly pulled the coffee out of Sam's reached and shook his head. "You have had enough coffee." Sam looked annoyed and stuck out his tongue at him. "Really…" Tom said adding smile.

Ed watched in humour as Sam and Tom bicker with a smile along with Sean as they sat drinking their coffee, watching this show. Soon they were joined by the other Braddocks who came into the room and quickly collected their cups of coffee. They didn't stop Sam's and Tom's friendly bickering, and Ed couldn't stop smiling. He liked this Sam that he saw now instead of the Sam that checked everything bottled up and didn't speak to anyone. Ed then looked away to Andrew refilling his cup for the eighth time. Jack was sat on the breakfast bar chairs with Ed. He saw what Ed was looking at and then muttered to him, "We basically run on the stuff." Pointing at the cup in his hand. "If we got have a cup of the stuff we can become a little annoyed." He said with a smile.

Ed nodded but then they heard Andrew mutter angrily at himself before he left the room. "Just leave him; he is always like this when one of us is hurt and he doesn't sleep very well. He isn't as bad as Tom and Sean but overall Tom is the worst out of all of us." Jack said quickly so the others who were chatting happily. Ed was confused at Jack's words, he looked at him. Tom slept very well last night and sleep though everything, even when Sean came down to get him. "What do you mean? Tom slept fine last and he never got up when Sean came to get me." Ed said but found Jack had an evil grin on his face.

"What?" Ed asked interested in what had he missed. Jack grinned even more evilly. Then he chuckled and answered him. "Just a piece of advice Ed, never accept a drink from David when he told you to go to bed and get some sleep and then offers you a drink." Ed looked at Jack and then at Tom who kept sending David evil looks. Ed put two and two together before muttering. "You don't mean…?" However Ed didn't need to finish his sentence and Jack nodded. Ed shook his head at the thought of David using his medical skills to drug Tom so he would sleep. Ed could understand why David was worried about the amount of sleep his family members had but drugging them, he knew that the act was highly illegal but he wasn't going to say anything.

Then the whole argument stopped when they heard the door open and then close, "Morning Braddocks…and Ed." They heard as Captain Blain entered the kitchen with three trays of food and quickly placed them on the breakfast bar and he wasn't alone. A few seconds later Sophie and Red entered the room carrying even more trays. "Mrs Lane are you feeding an army?" Red said putting down his trays and then taking the top one for their team but before he left he smiled at Sam. "Well, I think that is true since it's the Braddocks." And then quickly left the house followed by a few curse words. To which Sam broke into a strong laugher followed by David.

Ed looked at David who smiled at Ed and said, "I am not a Braddock. I am a Whitehall." He shrugged his shoulders. Tom shook his head and smiled at him. "Well, I better go and get some food before my lot eat it all. They can eat nearly as fast as Scope. Everything was fine last night; I will report in and let you know." Tom and David nodded a thanks before he left the house. "Thanks again Mrs Lane for this." Tom said collecting two plates before the others could move in and eat the rest of the food, and gave one to Sam and then he sat down next to him. "It is no problem, Sam's family and I know that breakfast is important."

Sam smiled at her. Ed then pulled Sophie into a hug and kissed her on the check and whispered a thank you to her and then they both helped themselves to some food. "Where is Emma?" Sophie asked and Jack and Andrew both snorted into their food. "She went home last night, something about only been able to deal with my family for a short amount of time." Sophie smiled, knowing that Sam was already a hand full and the rest must be worse.

"And the other thing…" Sam muttered making everyone look at him. "What is that Sammie?" Tom asked looking confused but only got an evil grin from Sam and quickly tucked into his breakfast. However they quickly dropped the topic and tucked into their breakfast. Around ten minutes later all the trays that Sophie had brought was empty. "How do you guys eat that much?" Sophie asked as she got up. They all started laughing however Sean stood up and stopped Sophie from collecting the plates.

"No, you cooked so we clean up. Jack, Andrew come on." Sean said putting the plates in the kitchen. "Why is it always us?" Jack cried as Andrew pulled his brother by the collar into the kitchen as Wilson and Sean burst out laughing. Wilson then shouted through, "Well when you're the youngest out of the rest of us you better get use to it." Ed and Sophie shared a look that said they were happy that Sam was getting better even if it was only a little bit.

"You do know I can hear you from the drive." A new voice said. Everyone stopped and looked towards the new voice; they saw it came from a man in his late eighties dressed in a military style uniform. Ed knew who it was but didn't understand why the commander-in-chief would be here?

"So Samuel, what have you been doing now?" The man said and Ed saw the security team stood just out of view to most of the people in the room. Sam slowly got to his feet and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug. "You didn't have to come you know. I am fine." Sam said pulling away. That got a few mutters from most of the people in the room which made Sam and the Commander-in-chief smile. "I think my other grandsons would say that wasn't true and from the report that I got was then you were in a coma and having to go for another operation. I don't say any of that classes you as fine Samuel." The man said sighing the last part before turning towards Ed and Sophie.

"So you are Edward Lane, Samuel's new team leader?" He said shaking Ed's hand as he nodded. "Well a piece of advice for dealing with my grandson which is never listen to a word he says when injured as he will always down play any injury he gets which normally nearly ends up killing him."

Ed nodded noting that piece of information for later on; he was surprised that Sam didn't mention the fact that his grandfather was the commander-in-chief. But then he kicked himself in not making the connection between Sam and the commander when they both have the same last name. But also he thought that Sam must have been given hell from the other soldiers because of who his grandfather was. The name Braddock must have gotten him hell from others who believed he got everything handed to him.

"I will keep that in mind." He said and the Commander smiled and nodded before turning back to look at the group of Braddocks. "I hope you all are behaving yourselves in front of our company here." And then he looked back at the doorway as they heard it open again and then close. Someone quickly made their way up the stairs and they saw him. A man came into the room dressed in a service uniform, Ed watched as the man pulled off his hat and walked into the room till he could see Sam who was sat down on the sofa. "Next time, don't do this when I am on the other end of the country on a training job. I don't want to have to order three helicopters to get me here and then have to put my team on standby again." Ed noticed that there was a growl in the man's voice but also a hint of concern mixed in with it. He wasn't anger with Sam as his tone showed, Ed guessed that it how military men who are born into this type of family would be.

"Stan." David said and then looking at the Commander who had remained quiet. But instead of the man backing down he just looked angrily at David. "He shouldn't be out of hospital David, why the hell would you take him out? No offence but last time didn't turn out for the best did it?" Ed didn't want to get involved but he thought that the man was been a little harsh on David, who cared for his cousin.

"Major Whitehall, I will not allow this conversation to happen here." The Commander said with a tone that made the man turn to look at him and that was when he spotted everyone in the room. "Stanley I understand that you are worried about the welfare of Samuel but we all know that it is better that he is in our line of sight when injured. Would you like him walking around on his own? We all know that he will never say in hospital when he can move on his own." At this statement Stanley nodded but sighed. Ed could clearly see that he didn't like the idea but agreed with him. "One of us will remain with him until we are sure that he is safe from harm." He added which improved the mood of the room and Stanley nodded and pulled off his cap.

"I don't suppose I get a say in this do i?" Sam asked to break the silence and a sharp and loud remorse came from the Commander, Stan, Tom, David, Andrew, Wilson and Sean saying "No!" Ed just watched as Sam looked at straight at him with a help look to his face, with an evil grin Ed answered his unspoken question. "No point giving me that look Sammo, you are on your own." Most of the Braddocks burst out laughing.

Then Stanley crossed the room and shock Ed's hand. "Major Stanley Whitehall, sorry for that…" He started but Ed stopped him. "Edward Lane, I am Sam's TL and don't worry. I am surprised I haven't kicked the kids butt back to hospital myself." Stan smiled and then looked back at Sam who was talking to the Commander-in-chief. "I am surprised the Commander hasn't kicked him back to the base with his own personal security but I guess that wouldn't work with him. My cousin is a pain at times and well I guess the team of JTF2 outside is his security which may work better as they are Sam's friends."

Ed nodded and then Sophie said that she would be back later leaving the boys to it. Thinking that with a military family like the Braddocks and the Whitehalls, someone would be crazy to go after Sam. Crazy and stupid as he had the same mind set as them. No one was getting to Sam when he was there. No way.


	23. Chapter 23

Sam had taken himself to the garden and that is where Ed found him about an hour later, Tom had told Ed to leave him to his thoughts. But Ed was worried about Sam, he knew that Sam hated being babied in this way, David had informed Stanley and the Commander-in-chief who had left right after. He had told them that he needed to speak to his sons, which had made most of the Braddocks groan when he mentioned about them all meeting here for a report about what was going on.

Sean had muttered to Ed. "All our dads', our grandfather and the Whitehall better call in your team. You might have a call about someone trying to kill someone else." Ed looked shocked at that but then texted Greg about the meeting. Mentioning that they also needed to know. As the Commander-in-chief left he called Ed over. "I want your team here, for Samuel. We believe this has something to do with his past, he will his team." Ed could hear the concern about his grandson. Then before he left he turned back to him. "Call me Leroy Braddock. I retire in a week, just so you know." And then he left.

Ed walked up to Sam who was stood resting against the wall of the decking looking at the long garden which was grassed with a hedge of trees along the edge with an oak tree planted and stood tall on the centre. A path way ran to the tree and then around it to the bottom of the garden with had another decking which a sitting area at the top. Ed knew that this house must have been expensive, more so with a garden like this.

"I am ok." Sam said when he heard Ed come hear him. Ed smiled and rested against the wall too looking at the garden. "You know Greg told me once about counting all the 'I'm fines' I have used when I'm not." Sam sighed not sure in how he could answer Ed. He finally gave in and started walking down the garden to which Ed followed him, something was clearly making Sam like this and it wasn't the fact that all his family was turning up all at once because of him. At the end of the garden they sat down on the chairs what were covered by a shelter. _'It was nice.' _Ed thought, as he waited for Sam to talk. He wasn't going to make Sam talk, but this time he didn't have to wait long.

"It is just the last time we were all together was when I came back from being a POW." She quietly said making Ed listen closely to what Sam was saying. He could tell that Sam didn't like talking about what happened but as he knew what had happened to his rookie had made Ed want to kill those who had done it to him. Ed had guessed that Sam had changed after the whole thing but was worried about how it had.

"I remember hitting David and then when I came around I said sorry but he told me that it wasn't my fault and wasn't to worry about it. Then I was stuck in a hospital bed for another month and the as my muscle's rebuilt themselves, I wanted out. When I could walk, David signed me into his care. Was happy to be out of that place but it wasn't the same. They tried to act normal but I was different. The thing that Stan mentioned was when I couldn't sleep so I went running…" Sam stopped and looked at Ed whose face had turned back to when Sam had done something reckless. "…yer I know. Running when you are still healing is stupid but I hate about been stuck inside or somewhere. Well I ran for about six miles before my lungs kicked hard and I could breathe right. Had to call David and got railroaded. They found that I had gone missing and fucking hell they had half of the JTF2 looking for me with military choppers out looking for above. My stupid move had set my healing back another month so I wasn't allowed out the base at all without someone with me. Jack and Paul are the youngest out of all of us; I knew they were hit hard about it. The others just bottled everything up and blow when they were alone. Tom had help from Emma of course. I knew that she cared for him from there."

Ed nodded knowing that Sophie would have done the same. "Sound like you have a good family Sammo." Sam smiled at the comment and nodded but then looked at Ed. "I have a good team too." Ed smiled and pulled Sam into a one armed hug. "We have a good team mate too….but we are going to have to talk about taking risks." Sam chuckled and nodded pulling away and they both smiled.

"So your grandfather is the commander-in-chief?" Ed asked crossing his arm making Sam laugh. "Yer it is not something that I like to mention. Everyone in the military knows and thinks I will get special treatment. And then with my uncles being different high ranking officers we all get some problems." Ed nodded but then a voice made them look up.

"Hey there Sammo long time no see." A man was stood in front of them in a dress uniform with the rank of Sergeant. He smiled at Sam and then walked towards them. Sam stood and was pulled into a hug by the man. As they pulled apart Sam turned back to Ed. "Ed this is John or giving his full title Sergeant Johnathan Whitehall. John this is my team leader from the SRU Ed Lane." John shock Ed hand who had stood up and moved next to Sam.

"Pleasure to meet you Ed." John said and then turned back to Sam. "I would have been back sooner but I needed to debrief before coming here. Craig and Paul are on their way, I think uncle Iain gave them permission to fly an apache to the military base closer to here than there is. I know Uncle Iain is already here in the meet with your dad." Sam sighed and smiled at John who had a cheeky grin on his, Ed was confused so Sam explained. "The last time those two were in an apache together it nearly ended up crashing it on one of the bases they were living on." Ed smiled at the story.

"Come on, I brought you a club sandwich. Then again I brought about enough to feed all of us plus eight more. Hungry Ed?" Ed nodded and all three of then entered the house. Eating lunch was a fun thing for Ed as he watched as the Braddocks and the Whitehalls bonded together, Sam had a good family but also a strong military one. Soon Wordy arrived with Lou and Greg. They introduced themselves to the newest members of the room. The Jules turned up in her jeep with Spike and was surprised with the new faces too. But all of them were surprised when Ed told them that the Commander-in-chief along with the other high ranking members of Sam's family were coming for a briefing. Spike turned to Sam and asked him, "When were you going to tell us?" Sam smiled and shrugged his shoulders before drinking his coffee.

"Who gave you that?" David cried looking around the room and wasn't surprised when his brother Stan who smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "He is always your favourite." He muttered as he sat down giving his brother an evil look. Then the conversation turned into smaller ones. Sam sat on the sofa with Ed, Greg and David who was checking on Sam's pain levels. Wordy and Stan were talking about their daughters. Stan lucky had only two daughters who were at school and was the only reason why he hadn't brought them to visit their uncle Sammie. Wordy told Stan that his daughters had also asked about Sam. Lou, Spike, Jack, Andrew and Willison about next tec and hockey which sadly they liked different teams, so their talk ended in an argument. Jonathan was on the phone to his father telling him that everyone was here and they could start any time they wanted. Tom on the other hand was waiting for his wife to come in.

Soon Emma came into the room and said her hellos to everyone, but then she pulled Tom away from the group and wanted to speak to him alone. At this Sam smiled and chuckled to himself, at this everyone looked at him . "What is so funny Sammo?" Jack asked looking confused. "She is telling him." He said and then Tom and Emma joined the room against, both with smiles on their faces. Before anyone could say anything Sam asked Tom "Do you have some good news to be telling us?" His normally Cheshire cat. The rest of the room looked back between Tom and Sam. "How the hell did you know?" Tom asked with utter shock. Sam smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I am special like that." Emma smiled and answered him. "Yes you are Sam. We 're having a baby." She said to the room and congratulations echoed around the room.

Sadly this happy theme ended with the sound of the front door opening and then the group of Command-in-chief, Admirals, Generals, Majors and Commanders came into the room. Their news was grim. They had been speaking with the police about the event and had been told that they couldn't find any evidence to the man who had attacked Sam. But this seemed not to affect Sam at all.

However Ed asked about the Al-Qaeda connection with the man that the JTF2 had killed, but that answer was plain enough but also angered the room. Major Iain Whitehall, the smallest out of the men with blonde hair and green eyes spoke about what his men had founded, that someone had informed them of an injured JTF2 member in the hospital and was someone that they were looking for. The intelligence they had gotten about this showed that someone from inside the country had sent it. Meaning the person who had done this might still be there however they couldn't tell. They had to wait for the next piece of intelligence.

No one liked this but it was the only thing they could do. Ed however wanted someone to pay for this and he knew he wasn't the only one. But how could they wait? How long could the military take off an whole JTF2 team from duty? He knew personally, not for long.


	24. Chapter 24

Three weeks had gone by after Sam was attacked and the police had no more news about the person who had attacked him and they had informed Sam and the team that they might not find the man at all. However that news hadn't stopped the team working on it between calls and visiting Sam who had already started physiotherapy so he could go back to work. The team had thought that they were pushing Sam too quickly but Tom had told Ed that Sam was not one to sit and rest when he could be working on something. He also mentioned that he would keep an eye on him with David as both of them had been giving the job of keeping Sam safe.

Willison had been the first to return back to work; he was needed for a flying test of a new jet that the air force had gotten, along with Craig and Paul who turned up after the meeting had ended. Both still in their flight uniform they were quickly told about what was going on. All three of them didn't want to go but like Sam told them 'they have to follow their orders.' They hadn't like it but they did as they were told.

Sean, Johnathan and Stanley where the next to go as all of them were being deployed overseas, there were happier than Willison for a couple of reasons. One they could make Al-Qaeda pay for doing after their cousin but also the fact that they could be doing something to make sure Sam was safer at home. Sean was going over to help locate the people who had order the hit out on Sam, he liked being home but not when one of his family members where being threatened.

Jack and Andrew left the same time with their father as they needed to get back to their base as Jack's ship was only in port for a couple of days before heading to the gulf on a joint operation with the British. Andrew had told Sam to call him if he needed anything, Sam had promised him as they left.

Sam's other uncles had to return back to their bases but all were working still on one thing. Who had attacked Sam? Greg and Ed couldn't understand why Sam's parents had gone back to the base so soon after everyone else had left, Tom had muttered to them as they had said their goodbyes to Sam that it wasn't by chose. The General was working on something. It was at this that Greg saw something in the General's eyes. Fear. He hadn't seen it before but like Sam, the General was good at hiding his emotions. But more so in front of his wife, daughter and son. They all knew that Sam wasn't out of danger but out of everyone Greg thought that Sam's father would be the one person who knew what Sam was fully able to do. Sam was specially trained in a number of skills but then he thought that the General was only human and must fear for his son. At the end of the third week it was only Sam, Tom and David who remained in the house. As the team had been called back to work they worried all the time about getting a call that had Sam's address on it. Holleran had told Greg that the other teams were willing to give Team One some more time off but it was unfair on them. They had been pulling double shifts since they had found Sam. Ed and Greg had given David and Tom the direct line to the SRU and their cells in case Sam went 'walks' as Ed had called it when he had retold the story. Spike hadn't let Sam forget it for three whole days when the others had the same reaction as Ed, Sam had ended up shouting about them all being mother hens.

Sadly because there had been no more attempts on Sam's life Captain Blain had been ordered to stand down and get ready for their next operation which he had mentioned without meaning too was placed somewhere right in the green zone. However Red had mentioned to Spike that it was about their missions being what he called 'personal', when Spike had told the team Sam sighed and explained what they meant. They were going after the people who had attacked him or had ordered the hit.

However today was the picnic and Sam's old team had arrived not but three hours ago, they were now sat in the garden with beers in their hands laughing at something Spike had told them. Sam could clearly see each of the new injuries. As Wordy's daughters played with Clark and Jules kicking around a football Sam stood watching them from the decking. Wordy was at the barbecue with Greg cooking the burgers. Ed was sat watching Sam when he saw they guy named Blade come up to him; Ed could see that Blade and Falcon were limping.

"Everything went fine." Ed heard Blade tell Sam but with the look that Sam gave him he knew he wasn't telling the truth. Ed knew that the team was trying to play down their injuries but it was very clear how bad some of them were. Blain had a new scar that cut across the side of his head, Speed and a broken collarbone to which he wore a sling to help it heal. Wire and Red both favoured their right side better than their left and for the biggest guys in the team, Macbeth and Bear they both had new scars forming on their arms.

"So when are you guys due back?" Wordy asked as he brought down a plate full of food and called the kids over to eat something. Blain smiled and answered, "We are can. Got to wait till he heal first and then when we are needed." He nodded and helped his youngest daughter get hold of a burger before running off to sit on Shelly's knee to eat it. "I am counting on you guys to make sure Rambo stays in one piece." Red said smiling at Sam as he spoke.

The team nodded but only Jules spoke, "isn't that harder said than done?" Her question made them all burst out laughing. Greg and Ed both knew that she was right. Sam was a magnet for trouble and took some serious risks to save others. Ed eyed Sam very carefully almost threatening him to say something. Sam however smiled at Ed. "I am not that bad." The others started laughing, Sam also joined in because of the same look he got from Ed and Blain.

They stayed till late on it the night, after everyone had gone Sam was left with Blain in the back garden. Sam sighed and looked back at the house. "I hate lying to them." He muttered. Blain looked at him with a serious expression on his face.

"Scope, I am sorry but they are not cleared to know what is happening. It would be stupid and dangerous to brief them..." Blain started but Sam spoke before he could finish.

"They are at risk as much as I am." Sam argued turning to look at him, he might have been his former captain but Blain knew that Sam was always very protective over his friends.

"Sam I promise we will protect them but us telling them will only paint a bigger target on their backs. We wait; wait till we have more information from your cousins and the other JTF2 teams before we make any move." Blain placed his hand onto Sam's shoulder. "We will end this."

Sam nodded but he knew that it wouldn't be the JTF2 who would end this.

It would be him.

To be continued…


End file.
